Instants
by the-magenta-ranger
Summary: An instant could change one's life forever. In these cases, they've changed two. A collection of unrelated oneshots supporting the Dustin x Marah pairing.
1. Crossing Lines

**Instants**

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) grin

**A/N: Short and hopefully, sweet. Enjoy!**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx **Instant One: Crossing Lines** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

"Ooh! This one, this one!" She pointed, a childish glimmer in her doe brown eyes.

He grinned, nodding at her. It confused him enormously really. How _this_ girl—he watched as she pumped an enthusiastic fist in the air, giggling—could have _possibly_ been an evil space ninja…_ever_.

The young man gazed at his companion, amused as she fumbled through her odd-looking purse for the two tickets needed for the ever-popular Tilt-A-Whirl ride.

Content flashed across her delicate features as she'd finally dug deep enough to locate the two measly neon colored stubs.

The question ran through his brain once more: How the _hell_ had _this_ girl—she stuck a tongue out at him, teasingly waving her scraps of paper—_passed_ as a dark side supporter for _so_ long?

She was way easy to read.

And for some unexplainable reason, he couldn't stop smiling.

"Dustin!" she gave him an incredulous look. "Why are you just _standing_ there?"

Her easy tone was probably not as scalding as she'd wanted it to be.

The yellow ranger chuckled. "Coming, Marah." He caught up with her strides easily, walking leisurely beside her. "What's the hurry? The ride's not going anywhere."

"Yeah—" he noticed how the edge in her voice had escalated to something remotely serious. This time, however, her brightening smile betrayed her words, "But if you don't move your lazy butt, we're going to miss the next round!"

In her efforts to hurry him along, she then grabbed his hand.

He felt the slight heat on his cheeks.

And Dustin didn't know whether or not it was okay to relish in the soft warmth of her palm.

_How could being with a warrior of wickedness feel this_—Marah's excited orbs turned upon him and she winked flirtatiously, giving his digits a light squeeze-- _nice?_

After handing the tickets to the stand overseer, they boarded one of the many circular booths.

And they dabbled in a bit of conversation, before the ride began.

Random things really, but he couldn't really care less.

Something about being in the girl's company—her auburn locks fell in waves as she laughed, flippantly punching him on the shoulder—put him at ease.

The rest of the world somehow stopped mattering all that much. Light and dark. Good and evil.

Power Rangers and Evil Space Ninjas.

And the line that divided them.

Their secret friendship was something Dustin couldn't quite explain. Least of all to his fellow rangers and sensei. (Probably not Lothor or any of his other enemies bent on ruling the world either)

But it was there.

And as the machines whirred, a signal to the ride's passengers that the spinning was to commence very shortly, and Marah happily squealed something about the fun-ness of Earth mechanisms, all that really made sense in the moment was he and she.

Them.

Dustin grinned when the brunette's hold on the safety bar tightened ever so slightly. And even more so when the centripetal force of the ride pushed her against him.

Deep, deep down, probably, the Earth ninja knew.

He knew—she cheered an animated "Woohoo!" and he felt compelled to shout a fervent "Yeah!" in return—how Marah could have _ever_ been an evil space ninja.

Dustin looked down upon their hands, fingers still lazily intertwined, as they'd never let go.

Inside, she never really had been.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**A/N: Ta-dah! A Dustin x Marah instant to whet your fluff-feeding appetites. More to come!**

**REVIEW please!**


	2. In Healthy Doses

Instants 

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) grin

**A/N: Since I couldn't think of any more of my own themes, I decided to do those themes on that…one…site. ;; I think Camfan4ever is already doing this, but it doesn't say anywhere in the rules that two people couldn't do the same couple, right?**

**Let's start all 60! –Backwards- smile Going up. Theme 1: Competition**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Two: In Healthy Doses** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Their relationship really gets to me sometimes.

Or lack there of, anyway.

I mean, really! They see each other at school. They have a lot of the same interests. She accompanies him to his freestyle competitions. He goes with her to karaoke bars. She tags along whenever he's out buying comics. (Even though she whines about her boredom.) He follows when she needs some shopping done. (Even though he complains afterward.)

For pete's sake, they live, like, 3 blocks away from each other!

And their beating around the bush is frustrating me!

They were 'destined' from the start. What with him being a power ranger. Her, an evil ninja. Their constant clashing on the battlefield. And yet their managing to arrange a behind-the-scenes friendship!

Those two are complete _airheads_.

You'd think after 2 whole years, with all that chemistry bubbling between them, something would happen. Someone would _finally_ make a move.

And still, they're both 19 and single. Totally denying what's Right. In. Front. Of. Them!

Argh 

I mean, my boyfriend is practically on some distant planet! I've been working my butt off to keep the long distance thing going. But it gets extremely difficult when you don't have anything concrete to touch. So the stupidest things have been seriously ticking me off the past few days.

Like Dustin and Marah's platonic-on-the-outside, romantic-on-the-inside relationship!

Geez.

I know, I know. It's not nice to be taking out my irritation with my boyfriend's absence on others.

But, _Ugh_.

I seriously need something more productive to do with my life.

…!

_Idea_! …It's a bit on the devious side…but _whatever_! The ends justify the means, or something, right?

And, besides, old habits die hard anyway.

**-Next Day-**

I'm not spying. Really.

Just because I happened to find them in a totally secluded area in the woods of Ninja Academy and am currently hiding behind a tree eavesdropping on their conversation and sneaking numerous discreet glances in their direction does not mean I'm spying.

….

Okay, so I am spying! But my reasons are totally justified! Really! It had been my genius plan anyway that had gotten them here in the first place!

I think.

Tori's with me too as she'd wanted to witness the dramatic confrontation. The guys had been uninterested.

I guess it's got something to do with girls' morbid fascination with others' relationships.

Plus, the ex-Wind Blue Ranger has also been a bit annoyed with them too. What with her guy traveling the world or something.

So here we are. Two lonely females. Spying. Dustin and Marah are just standing there. Not talking.

I groan loudly. Tori shushes me.

"Sssh! They're saying something!"

"So…" Marah's first to break the silence. I see her smile brightly, "…Sensei Dustin…"

Hah. That sounded coy. You go, girl.

"Just Dustin." The ex-yellow ranger's tone is something I'd never heard him use before.

Seriousness.

His features are saying the exact same thing. …And a little of something I expect to be irritation.

She gives him a curious look but nods and continues anyway, "Dustin…why did you need to talk to me?"

I think there's a trace of hopefulness on her face.

Aw. Look at that. He's blushing.

"It's about you and…Jason." He'd bit out the latter's name as if it were poison. Not that the ex-evil space ranger knew.

I laugh silently.

Marah's countenance brightens ten fold. "Yes?" She wonders, innocently twirling a wavy lock of chocolate hair in one finger.

"I don't think…uh…" He's fumbling with his words. A good sign. "…that it's a good idea for you to be so…close to him."

Marah leans forward a little, looking at him with large, fully lashed eyes. I have to clamp a hand over my mouth to keep myself from guffawing and giving away our position. That had been one look I'd taught her.

And observing Dustin's reaction, I'd say Marah had coined the "Angel Gaze."

"Why is that?"

The guy runs a tense hand through his waves of auburn hair. Then I hear him sigh.

"Because…"

Say it. Say it. Say it! 'Because I love you!' My teeth are nearly gnashing in anticipation. Get it over with already!

"…it will interfere with your ninja training."

Marah's smile instantly drops. Ouch.

I hear Tori mutter a "Stupid Dustin" under her breath. And I can't help but agree with her.

"Oh." I can feel her dejection from my place ten feet away.

Men are so stupid sometimes.

An awkward silence hangs between them and I CANNOT believe my efforts are going down the drain. Damn it, I always had prided myself on my matchmaking skills!

Were these two _that_ hopeless?

My hands clench and I feel myself losing it. Shoooot!

"Yes. Well, that's pretty much it." Dustin sighs audibly, running another hand through his hair.

I see him grin a little reluctantly at her and turn around—

Wait, where is he _going_!

I stamp a foot forward. I can't just let them _end_ here!

Damn airheads! I swear, those two will _never_—

Tori shushes me again. I glare pointedly at her interference but she then refers with a vague wave over at the scene.

I hear Marah talk again. "…Wait!"

Her fists are slightly shaking and her face is free from its usually innocent exterior. Her thin brows are knit. Oooh. _Someone's_ a little mad.

The ex-yellow ranger turns around, a bit of surprise and confusion visibly written on his features.

I snicker lightly. And _someone else_ is in for it.

"…Marah?"

"Is that—" I'm totally impressed with her bravery. Her brown eyes are meeting full force with his. "—all you want to say to me?"

I can't help but feel for the girl. Really.

I know that she's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, but even I have to admit that she's got guts.

Which is definitely more than I can say for the _idiot_ she's so infatuated with.

The guy flinches noticeably. Serves him right!

But he doesn't respond. And Marah's face falls, her morale undoubtedly decreasing.

But she speaks again. The ex-blue ranger next to me cheers quietly, "Go Marah!"

My turn to nudge/shush her. And I can't cease my smirking. Even when I feel exactly the same.

"I don't see how _my_ seeing Jason is going to bother my _training_." Oooh. A new tactic. Does it work? Dustin ungraciously chokes at the name. Not to mention the naïve implications.

_Yes_.

"You're-" I snicker as his eyes go plate-sized with disbelief- "_seeing_ him?"

Marah gives him a look. _No Duh_, it's yelling. "Um. Yeah."

"I mean, like, you two have…" He semi-whispers his next words, "…_gone out_?"

She rolls her eyes. "Of course."

From my peripheral vision, I see Tori clasp a quick palm at her mouth. Like me, I guess she's figured out that Marah's air headed-ness may just reel him in.

Dustin is taken aback. Stunned. Floored.

Hook. Line. And Sinker.

"Since when!" He's getting a little panicky now. Unconsciously probably, but he grabs at her shoulders.

Marah is startled. "Since…forever!"

Defiantly, she stands back, "Look, Dustin. I just don't know why seeing Jason is such a threat to my learning!"

The tension in the air is elevating. _Finally_.

"I can't believe—" He throws her a betrayed look, ruffling his tresses, "—And behind my back--!"

The girl's countenance is as puzzled as ever, brows furrowing, "What are you--!"

"And you couldn't even tell _me_—"

"Dustin, you're not making any—"

"--Geez! And here I was acting all—"

"—would you _please_ just fill me in—"

"—stupid, but all along—"

"—Stop arguing with me, Dustin--!"

"—Then, _stop_ seeing him--!"

Whoa. I grin. And the string of denials is slowly unraveling.

Oh, _yes_.

It's silent between them for a bit. Marah's tone effectively dials down, but a little bit of bitterness underlies her words, "I don't think that you have any right to say that to me."

She then turns to leave and I nearly kick the tree I'm hiding behind in damn frustration.

Maybe they weren't 'destined', after all—

"So, that's it?" Dustin is finally the one who breaks the silence. Tori glows with pride. Her best friend had finally made a smart move.

The Earth Ninja teacher's shoulders slumps with obvious disappointment.

Marah turns around slowly, features hurt with sadness and a pinch of exasperation. "What do you mean?"

And Dustin uneasily runs his digits through his hair. Again. "I mean." His face is heating up, and I grin with his embarrassment. "You…Me…" He hesitantly steps toward her. "Us."

"Is this how we're gonna…end?"

"Dustin." Her face is a bit anxious in response to his words. "Why would my seeing Jason end _our_ relationship?"

I see Dustin noiselessly grit his teeth. Marah sighs, walking up to him again and placing a warm hand on his shoulder.

"I'd never let _him_ get between _us_."

The guy hesitantly nods, seemingly afraid to meet her eyes.

It looks like he's about to say something…!

But Marah cuts him to the chase.

"And besides," She smiles a little, returning gradually to her usual perky self. "I can't just, like, not _see_ Jason, y'know?"

Utter and unadulterated bewilderment carves into the clueless boy's features.

_Hah_. _Priceless_.

"I've been having a little trouble in a few of my classes," She blushes a bit with the slip of information, "and if Jason _wasn't_ tutoring me, I don't know what I' do…"

"Wait…_what_?"

"Jason!" Marah exhales exasperatedly. "I see him everyday y'know! At the Academy, at a few tournaments, in dojos…"

"…Jason's your…_tutor_?"

The ex-evil space ninja nods, perplexity engraved in her countenance. "Yes. I thought you knew."

Dustin shakes his head roughly, "So Jason isn't your…" He falters, probably unsure of whether or not he really wants to hear the answer. "…_boyfriend_?"

And Marah takes on serious confusion. "_W_-_What_? No!"

Childlike hope flashes through the ninja's auburn orbs. "No?"

Marah shakes her head profusely. "Where did you get _that_!"

He replies, "Well, you said you were _seeing_ him _and_ that you've gone _out_ with him!"

She retaliates, "Yeah! Out. As in to _train_. And _seeing_. As in…well, seeing."

Dustin's eyebrows raise.

Then Marah throws in a statement that pieces her whole meaning together, "I'm _seeing_ you too aren't I?"

At this point, yellow Sensei registers the fact that Marah, is, in fact, not of the Planet Earth and isn't exactly aware of all the connotations of Earth sayings.

Then his old grin returns and he laughs. Loudly. And probably in pure and total relief.

Without warning, he engulfs her in an enormous hug.

"D-Dustin?" She's obviously surprised and pleased all at the same time.

And I silently thank the gods that it's happening. Really this time.

"Dude…" He snuggles into her neck, lifting eyebrows, "I seriously thought I'd…"

She gently wraps her arms around his shoulders, realization dawning upon her.

"Geez, Dustin." I know she's pink-faced, even if I can't see her expression. "How could you _not_ know…It's always been _you_."

He chuckles contentedly.

He then allows a bit of space between them before he abruptly and impulsively kisses her on the lips.

And obviously, with the way she's responding, I'm pretty damn sure she's not minding one bit of his attention.

I grin. My work here is done.

_Finally_.

-**Later**-

I don't know what it was. I guess two lonely girls simply need to be there for each other in times of emotional hardship.

Or maybe it's a blonde thing?

Or something. But we're talking now, walking back to the academy.

We left the lovebirds in the forest. I mean, it's not like we needed to see more than we _had_ to.

…Ew.

"I can't believe your plan worked!" Tori exclaims now that we're finally out of the vicinity of the newly hatched couple.

I scoff offhandedly, but grin. "I guess I've got an innate flair for bringing people together."

She smiles in return, "So _you're_ the one who hired Jason to tutor Marah."

I giggle freely, "Naturally. Plus, I was also the one who'd hinted to yellow boy over there that his dear Marah is getting pretty comfy with a certain someone else…"

The tomboy laughs. "Sneaky."

I smile cheekily, "Why, thank you. I always figured that all Dustin needed was a healthy dose of competition."

"That certainly made him realize that Marah wasn't going to be single forever."

"And it gave him the right kick in the pants to make a move."

We laugh and settle into quiet.

She then says something that throws me off a bit, "Marah's going to be really happy, y'know."

I'm silent for a while. The statement does have truth to it. I mean, my initial purposes were a tad bit selfish, sure. But it does my insides good to know that Marah has finally found happiness.

I smile for like the billionth time and respond with a lame, "What are sisters for?"

**-End-**

**A/N: Wow. looks up, puzzled Had no idea this was going to be _so_ long. I happened to like it though, so I hoped you all read every last bit of it!**

**Review Responses:**

**-Funky In Fishnet: Yay! My first reviewer ever! Thanks so much for your kind comments! They made me smile.  
-CamFan4Ever- Ehehehe...I hope you don't think I'm trying to steal your idea or anything. XD. Because I couldn't really help myself. Anyway, thanks so much for reviewing! It means a lot.**

-Anonymous Reviews Now Enabled! sweatdrop

Review!  



	3. On A Leash

Instants 

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) grin

**A/N: Whee. It's boys night out, baby. And dear Dustin's having trouble convincing his fellow rangers the reality of his and Marah's relationship! Friends.**

**Yeah. Riiigghhhttt.**

**Theme 2: Denial**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Three: On A Leash** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hey guys."

Grunts of "Finally.", "Geez.", and other phrases of impatience echoed against the basement's walls.

The boy smiled sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Sorry I'm late."

Taking a seat at the table, he ignored every one of his friends' eye rolls.

"So." He rubbed his hands together, indicating his enthusiasm, "Let's get this started!"

Cam dealt the cards.

Quality Time. Male bonding. Whatever the hell you wanted to call it, there they were.

The 5 Power Ranger Ninja Storm boys. Playing cards.

It was poker night, plain and simple.

Dustin looked over his cards warily. What a sucky hand.

He sighed, "Fold."

The red Wind ranger, however, felt otherwise, his brown eyes brightening. "Yes!"

"So, Dustin." The crimson ranger across the table from said yellow ranger, chimed in, as nosy as ever, "What took you?"

His brother beside him laughed. Cam input in that all-knowing tone of his, "Do you _really_ have to ask?"

The other two laughed and Dustin felt very out of the loop.

An eyebrow raised, voice carrying a tinge of irritation. "What?"

He hated feeling out of the loop.

Both Cam and Blake folded, ignoring Dustin's clueless-ness. The navy ranger then chuckled, "Oooh. Looks like its red vs. red." As if the yellow ranger had never said anything. At all.

"_Crimson_." Muttered the blonde cheekily.

"And we all know how the _original_ always wins." Shane laughed as Hunter threw him a glare.

Dustin's palms clenched in and out of fists, still very much annoyed, "What!" He repeated.

A little startled, Shane raised an inquisitive brow, "What, what?"

The yellow ranger huffed silently and let it go, "Never mind."

Blake shrugged and the battle of wills between the red and _crimson _ranger continued.

Shane won with a Queen-pair full house, easily beating out Hunter's own 10-pair.

The red ranger cockily cheered something about originals and Hunter let out a groan followed by a string of breathed curses and a random throw of potato chips in the grinning Wind ranger's direction.

Cam dealt again.

"What'd she make you do this time?" Shane questioned slowly after looking over his more or less acceptable hand.

"Huh?" Dustin fingered a card, checked it once more and folded. It just wasn't his night.

"Oh come on. Don't play dumb." Hunter muttered from his place. He threw the cards at the table, frustration playing across his features as he'd been dealt a bad hand too.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He answered quite truthfully, taking a fistful of chips from the nearby bowl.

"My cousin." Cam hinted.

"Kapri?"

"No, you idiot. Marah." The crimson ranger obviously wasn't feeling all that happy-go-lucky tonight.

"What about Marah?" The ranger questioned carefully, not liking where the conversation was going.

Blake chuckled once more when his brother threw his hands up in frustration.

Shane put a hand on his best friend's shoulder, "How are you guys?"

Dustin blinked. "…Good."

The red Wind ranger shook his head, "No. I mean, how _are_ you guys?"

The yellow rangers eyes narrowed, "What do you mean by _that_?"

Blake answered that one for him, blatantly, "We want to know how far you guys are in the whole dating thing."

If Dustin had been drinking something, that would have been the point where he spat every ounce of liquid onto the table. "WHAT?"

"Way to go with _tact_, Blake." Cam commented from his corner of the table. "And by the way, I'm in." He set his cards down and Blake grinned, "Me too."

"Me three," said Shane.

As if they'd never heard him. Again. The word 'what' just wasn't getting his questions across tonight.

Dustin folded his arms stubbornly, "Marah and I aren't _dating_."

And his group of so-called 'friends' laughed as if in incredulity.

"Yeah. Right." Shane snorted.

"We're _not_!"

Hunter smiled rather sadistically, "And fish fly."

Cam, the ever-logical one, pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He lay his straight on the table surface. "What's the use denying?"

"Where did you guys ever--?"

Blake then lay his cards down. A 4 pair. "Don't think we don't see you two." Before Dustin could speak again, he provided an example, "Like yesterday. You two were at the mall together."

"…Shopping for a birthday present!"

"And," Shane added, grinning slyly. "The other day, when I dropping off that game I borrowed, I found Marah in your _room_." He lay his flush down. Damn, he was good at this!

Dustin couldn't help the heat on his cheeks, "She was picking something up for me!"

Cam offhandedly noted, to the yellow ranger's chagrin, "So she has a key to your house."

Dustin quieted, not sure how to answer. His friends all guffawed at his expense.

Blake then said jokingly, "She has you on a leash, huh?"

And Dustin slammed his hands on the table, indignant, "Look, guys. Marah and I are friends. _Just_ friends. Nothing more. Nothing less."

His sudden outburst, silenced them for about a minute. "Suuuurrreee." Hunter cut in.

And Shane grunted, adding in, "Like you're one to talk, Blake. Tor has you at her beck and call."

Cam dealt yet again.

"She does _not_!"

Dustin was the only one who didn't chuckle. Not so much as he felt sorry for the navy ranger (as he totally deserved it), but because his mind was so suddenly bombarded by thoughts of _her_.

Her brown locks, her auburn eyes, her brightening smile…did they really look like _that_?

"And the same goes for me!" Dustin put in.

He left it at that, looking over his cards. And for the first time this night, he actually liked the hand he'd been given.

That is, till his cell phone rang.

As Hunter still wasn't content with his deal of cards, he threw in a, "Bet it's Marah."

Just to be annoying. Stupid Crimson.

He answered the call after shooting the blonde a semi-glare. "Hello?"

A few seconds accounted for the person on the other line.

"_What_!"

His teammates exchanged skeptic/amused looks.

"Hold on and don't move." His voice carried obvious worry.

"I'll be right there." He put his phone away and grabbed his jacket in slight urgency.

"You're going?"

"Yeah. Sorry guys but Marah—" He paused, taking in the infuriatingly knowing gazes of his companions.

"Geez! It's not like that."

And Cam gave a wry grin, "Wow. You're being offly defensive about something we didn't even say."

They all laughed again and Dustin didn't even bother explaining the situation.

He left in a huff, but his thoughts gradually moved to her. So _what_ if he was worried about her now? She was stranded at some club downtown where any mugger or criminal or worse, _sleaze bag_ could go pick her up!

His friends didn't know anything.

Dustin ran fingers through his waves of chocolate hair.

…And she _so_ didn't have him on a leash!

**-End-**

**A/N: Boys will be boys, I guess. YAY! I got to watch PRNS and my love for Dustin's personality has been ultimately rekindled!** **–grin-**

** Review Responses:**

** Funky In Fishnet: **Wow! You came back! Thanks so much for your reviews. It's SO nice to know that people take the time to appreciate others' work! YOU ROCK.

**Annimouse: **-Grin- Thanks so much for reviewing. Sweetness is my thing. Hopefully though I'll get to experiment with other tones in later chapters.

**CamFan4Ever- **Thanks for reviewing...again! It's such a relief to know that I'm not breaking any rules. -sweatdrop-

**Though this has been typed in app. 17 minutes, I still tried. REVIEW!**


	4. Consequences

**Instants**

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: Was feeling pretty emo when I started this so, TA-DAH! My first attempt at angst! Yay.**

**Theme 3: What if…?**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Four: Consequences** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was dark. No moon. No stars. Completely and utterly lightless. His mask's visor sure wasn't helping any, but he found himself stumbling through the city anyway.

He had to find her.

**-Flash-**

_Blue Bay Point was all rose-colored and beautiful. They were in similar positions on the grass, cross-legged and comfortable, about a foot and a half away from each other. _

_The sun was to set in a few minutes and they thought it'd be nice to watch together._

_Their companionable silence, however, was broken._

"…_Dustin…" Her voice was meek, hesitant. So unlike the outspoken tone he was used to. She fumbled nervously with her fingers and he knew something was wrong._

"…_Marah?" He sat upright, an indication that he was giving her his full attention._

_She paused, her palm clenched slightly. She was teetering on a decision. _

_Sighing she said, "I have to…tell you something." She finished weakly and never met his eyes._

_He waited, unbidden worry clenching at his stomach, "…yeah?"_

"…_Someone's coming here…to, uh…fetch…me…"_

_His brown irises held a confused skepticism. "Who?"_

"…_Uncle."_

_Blink. "WHAT?"_

**-Flash-**

Damn it.

Jumping from rooftop to rooftop had always given him something of an adrenaline rush. Tonight however, it was really just more of an obstacle. Something to do with the fact that the pure anxiety was nearly suffocating him.

Jump. Slip. Stumble. Gain balance again. He cursed under his breath.

What he wouldn't do for Tori's ninja speed power right about now.

For any of the other rangers' help actually.

He sighed audibly. But it wasn't like he could ask them. They didn't trust her, what with their history and all. And he didn't hold it against them.

…It was just…they didn't get the chance to see the side of her that he did.

**-Flash-**

"_You're not going with him, are you!" He didn't mean for his voice to sound so frantic. But the situation was definitely calling for some desperation._

"_I…" she grew silent, making him irritated at her for even considering._

"_So when you said you wanted to be good…" She was fumbling with the edge of her shirt, and his tone cracked"…you lied?"_

"_No, no!" She gazed up at him, finally. "I did—do, want to be good!" The expression in her auburn orbs spoke truth, and he felt his heart noiselessly go out to her._

_But the confusion remained, "So…why?"_

_She folded her hands in her lap again, and stared at them like they were the most interesting appendages in the world._

_Finally, she mumbled, "Kapri."_

"_Your sister?" _

_She nodded. He looked out to the horizon and the setting sun, and he felt strangely calmer, "What, she threaten you?"_

"_No!" She looked at him again with defiant eyes, only to continue in the softest voice in the world, "…I can't leave her."_

_He looked upon her sunlit features, "You don't have to!" When she threw him a puzzled look, he continued, "I'm sure she'll…come around."_

"…_Really." Her tone was edged with sarcasm._

_With a sigh, he urged, "Marah. Just…stay."_

_He finally succumbed with the insane urge to hold her hand, "Please."_

**-Flash-**

He hadn't known the pressure he'd been putting on her then. He hadn't thought of the weight of the decision, the magnitude of the situation.

He'd been selfish, really. Asking her to stay with the good side…with him.

And now…

The sound of clashing weapons caught in his ears. He heard a pained cry and he upped his speed, the fastest his legs could handle.

His white-gloved hand gripped at his sword, his brows knit in anger.

If that low-life had hurt her…

Following the echoing sounds of what he was sure was a fight, he reached his destination.

Only to be held back by 40 or more kelzaks. The head villain turned to him, smirking sadistically, "Ah. The yellow ranger. How nice of you to join us."

Behind the dark, towering figure, sat a crumpled girl who gazed at him with familiar brown, fearful eyes, "Dustin!"

An expression of horror crossed his features.

"Marah!"

**-Flash-**

"_Dustin!" It was obviously her turn at being frantic. "It's…" he noticed how limp her digits were in his grip, "…not that easy."_

_She looked to the ¾ set sun and its light reflected in her sad eyes. "You know, I'd always been bad at being bad." _

_At that, he was at a loss for words. She continued, "I wanted to prove myself."_

_Silence._

"_So…I accepted this mission."_

_Perplexity set in his eyes, "…what?"_

_She exhaled loudly, "Dustin…" they met gazes again, "Uncle knows that you trust me. …And…he knows he could use that to his advantage, so he's asked me to be a part of his team again."_

_She flinched nervously._

"_I…accepted."_

_The answer shook him, first, with bewilderment, then, with shock, and finally, with angered betrayal. He immediately took his hand from hers and stood up abruptly, throwing her a furious glance._

_Before he could outburst, she beat him to it, "But I couldn't pull through!" She also stood, so he knew she was being direct with him._

"_I couldn't just…hurt…you." She flushed faintly and turned once more to the light. His demeanor was again composed with her honesty, "And…my intentions hadn't been that from the start."_

_Her eyes were glossy, he noticed. "They…kicked me off the ship. Because, well, I was bad at being bad. I'd been raised to be evil…but I guess I just…wasn't cut out for it. And they replaced me? So of course, I…I couldn't stay—" she was mumbling, and he was sure tears were ready to fall. He inched towards her. _

"_So it got me to thinking that maybe I could be good at being good…and so I met you…and I was really happy! You trusted me so easily…Then—"_

_She paused and her miserable features, bathed in the soft, pink glow of sunset, made his heart hurt._

"…_I'm not good at being good either, am I?"_

_And he couldn't help but gather her up in his arms. He embraced her softly, as the tone of her voice made him think her fragile._

_He whispered, "You can be."_

**-Flash-**

His breathing was ragged and sweat poured out of him in his struggle against the kelzaks.

4…8…9…

Damn it, there were so many!

But…Marah was in danger. She needed him now! And these stupid--!

"Keep him in place!" Lothor spat from his position. "And you." He turned to his niece, a dull hate in his eyes. He fisted her brown locks and she cried out as he dragged her along.

He barked at her to shut up, muttering, "This, you traitorous wench, is what you get for betraying me."

He placed her before the fraught Earth Ninja Ranger and laughed harshly at Dustin's effort to reach out to her.

"Your attempts are futile." Lothor remarked, eliciting a furious growl from the teen. A kelzak kicked him. Dustin only retaliated, "At least I'm not a coward! I didn't come with an army of goons to protect me!" The insult was awarded with a blow to the stomach.

The villain looked down at him and he quickly ordered one of the kelzaks to hold down his weakened niece.

He stood in front of the yellow ranger, coming between the pair of friends. "Don't get cheeky with me, yellow ranger." He waved over to Marah, "What'd happened to her is very much your fault as it is hers."

Dustin glared. He had never hated anyone more in his whole life.

A sound from behind alerted him to the presence to someone's appearance…or some ones.

"Dustin!" came the familiar voice of Tori, followed closely by Shane's "You idiot! You know never to fight without us!"

The yellow ranger allowed himself a quick grin. Finally, the good guys were gaining an upper hand.

Other voices, "We'll handle these thugs!" and "Hurry!" arrived, whom he noticed to be the Thunder Brothers.

He hadn't counted on his friends' coming to his rescue, but was definitely glad about it.

"Thanks guys."

A "No time for gratitude now. Get to Marah! Quick!" from Cam reached his ears. Before he knew it, he was free. And Lothor was running, a faltering Marah in tow. Dustin followed after.

The chase was on.

**-Flash-**

_She placed delicate hands on his chest, putting space between them._

"_But…" the space ninja looked up at him with an uncertain face, "…I can't just become good all of a sudden! Won't it look…suspicious?"_

_He sighed, wondering if she actually wanted the situation to be so complicated._

"_They'll learn in time."_

_Still considerably doubtful, she looked to the sunset again, questioning, "How can they forgive me for…the things I've done?"_

_He gave her shoulders an assuring squeeze, "Marah. Just…trust me. My friends are good guys."_

_She tossed him a deadpan glance. "I think I know that." _

_He chuckled lightly. "Then, you should also know that the good guys never hold grudges."_

_He grinned. "They'll get over it."_

**-Flash-**

"D-Dustin!"

Following the echoes of her voice bouncing off the alleyway's brick walls, he found himself at an empty warehouse.

"Marah!" He called out in the darkness.

His eyes widened at the sight of Lothor and Marah in the middle of the room, the former, holding her by the neck a foot above the ground and the latter, clawing at her captor and struggling to breathe.

The initial shock was quickly followed up by rage. "Lothor!" He yelled in a booming voice, taking a step towards them.

Marah's tortured whimper halted him. Her uncle had tightened his clutch at her throat.

"Think before you act, yellow ranger." He leered maliciously. "I hold her life in my hands."

Dustin's teeth grit and his heart thumped painfully against his ribcage. He too, felt he was choking.

There seemed no hope.

"You…" he began, trying to reason, something, anything, with Lothor, "…you can't do this! She's your niece! Your own fam--!"

He was interrupted by Lothor's cruel laughter. "Idiot. When you're evil, family relations are meaningless."

Dustin gazed at Marah and his breath caught. Silent tears were trailing wetly down the contours of her cheeks.

Scoffing, Lothor threw her roughly to the ground. "Especially useless, double-crossing nieces."

This was his chance! He rushed over to her, but was once again stopped. This time, by Marah's call of, "Dustin! Stay back!"

A flash of bright, fully charged energy blinded him. He felt himself thrown against the metal wall of the warehouse and then there was darkness.

**-Flash-**

_She sighed softly and surprised him by resting her forehead against his torso. _

"…_Will you let me keep in contact with Kapri?" she questioned suddenly._

_Dustin raised a brow, but relented nonetheless, "Sure. As long as she doesn't try getting you to join the evil side again."_

_For some reason he could feel her smile. _

"…_Will you protect me from your friends?" He laughed at that one, circling his arms around her once more. _

"_When I can."_

_Her last condition brought redness to her face that he knew wasn't because of the sunset._

"…_Will you…stay with me?"_

_An uncontrolled flush rose to his cheeks, but he grinned, "Always."_

**-Flash-**

He opened his eyes and it took him a minute to get his bearings. His sight was blurry adjusting to the light and his head hurt.

A flash of bright brown eyes behind his eyelids bolted him to a sitting position.

"Marah!" He stood, despite the wobbliness of his legs. His eyes scanned the premises and his breath caught in his throat, making him choke.

Lothor was gone and an unmoving Marah lay in the middle of the cold floor.

He ran for her, desperately trying not to trip along the way.

Reaching her, dropped to his knees, taking off his yellow helmet. Gently, he nudged her shoulder.

"Marah. Marah, wake up!" No response. His esophagus constricted.

Again, he shook her, a more anxious force behind his actions. "Marah! Marah!"

He held her hand, cringing at its coldness. This…wasn't…happening.

"Marah! Get. Up!" He wiped away the mix of blood and tears from her colorless countenance. She would get up, he reasoned. She had to because he'd promised!

She had to because she couldn't leave him.

His fellow rangers found him in his despondency. And were silent.

"Marah! MARAH! This isn't funny!" Despite the lack of a pulse, the obvious fact that her chest was no longer rising and falling, he wouldn't—couldn't—allow himself to believe that she was…

"Marah, Lothor's gone!" He tried, hugging her frozen form. "Y-you're…free! We can be happy…together." His grip on her pale skin tightened when he heard Tori cry in the backdrop.

No. NO. This…this wasn't how things were supposed to be.

The good guys always win…_always_.

Cam's grim tone interrupted his rants, "Dustin…" He hesitated, "Dustin, Marah is…"

"No." Dustin cut in bitterly, stubbornly. "She's not."

"But—" said the Red Wind Ranger.

"She'll wake up." He insisted.

"Dustin…please…" Tori pleaded with him, Blake behind her. "She's…"

"I don't want to hear it."

The Crimson Ranger stepped forth, always the brutally honest realist, "Stop being stupid, Dustin. You have to face the fact that—"

"Shut up!"

"Marah—"

"SHUT UP!" He yelled more forcefully.

"Is—"

"Hunter, SHUT u—"

"Dea—"

"I KNOW she's DEAD!"

**-Flash-**

_It was about a minute before the sun fully set._

_He grinned down at the girl in his arms, "So…" He began slowly, "Will you do it?"_

_She smiled brightly up at him. Finally._

"…_Yeah."_

_He pumped one ecstatic fist in the air, "Whoo! Another good guy to add to the team!"_

"_Good GIRL," she corrected, giggling._

_It was twilight._

**-Flash-**

He held her broken body in his arms for a long stretch of moments.

He'd pressed, she'd relented.

She was an evil space ninja turned honest civilian.

But he hadn't thought of the consequences.

She was gone.

His heart shattered.

**---**

Dustin awoke in a cold sweat from the nightmare he'd just experienced, Marah's name on his lips.

**-End-**

**A/N: Whoa. 10 pages. This took me way longer than chapter 3! Anyway, if you couldn't guess, the 'What if' theme, it had been 'What if Marah hadn't betrayed Dustin after the whole Beevil thing?' My answer? 'Very Bad Things.'**

My Lovely Reviewers:

CamFan4Ever: Ahaha. Thanks again for reviewing! -smile-  
Funky In Fishnet: Yay! Thanks so much. Hah. You make me blush!  
Star Fata: Haha. Thanks. Oh and Kapri's boyfriend is...um...whoever you want him to be!  
JuppieJutsu: Lol. Thanks a lot. Here's another chappie!  
KristalSky: -grin- Heeeeey, Kris. Yeah you're awesome! -snort- Here's an update!  


**Review!**


	5. Fan Service

**Instants**

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: Ooooh! Int-er-est-in! An instant composed entirely of dialogue. Fun.**

**Theme 4: Chance**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Five: Fan Service** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"…You! What are _you_ doing here!"

"Hey, I actually _live_ on earth. I think, _I_ should be asking the questions around here."

"Well, it's None. Of. Your. Business!"

"…Your uncle better not be planning anything diabolical!"

"No! And besides, if we were, why would I tell a _power ranger_?"

"…Whatever!"

"Well, good then!"

"Fine."

"Great."

"Ok."

"…Good BYE."

"…"

-Ring!-

"And the pair-ups are…!"

"Numbers 1 and 10."

"Numbers 2 and 9."

"Numbers 3 and 8."

"Numbers…eh. You get it. All the way down to numbers 5 and 6."

-Ring!-

"…NO WAY."

"Oh geez, you've GOT to be kidding me!"

"…Quick! Switch numbers with someone!"

"But that's against the rules."

"Always gotta be the good guy don't you?"

"…Its not as if I _wanted_ to be paired with someone like _you_."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"

"Um…evil space ninjas aren't exactly at the top of my list."

"Yeah, well…power rangers aren't at the—"

-Ring!-

"Enjoy yourself kids!"

-Ring!-

"…"

"…So."

"…What?"

"…Um…how was your day?"

"…What are you doing?"

"I'm just trying to start _conversation_!"

"…?"

"I paid a good 10 dollars for this little session, so goody-two-shoes power ranger or not, I'm getting my money's worth!"

"…_Goody-two-shoes_?"

"Do you _want_ me to call a few kelzaks down here?"

"So you _are_ plotting something!"

"NO! What's with all the accusations?"

"Yeah, well, its kind of hard not to, what with you being evil and all."

"…Shut up."

"Gladly."

"…"

"…"

"…So…"

"…What? You're starting this again?"

"I can't just _sit_ here! It's boring! PLUS, its ten dollars down the drain!"

"…"

"So _Please_. Lets pretend to not be enemies? _Civil_, okay?"

"…Fine."

"Okay. Good. So why are you here?"

"…Friends dragged me. They (as in the guys) figured I needed to meet more girls."

"…Pft! That's funny!"

"Why?"

"…I dunno. It's just back on my home planet you'd be considered _pretty_ cute."

"…Wow. I can't believe you just said that."

"You're welcome."

"I guess…it's uh…flattering to know that girls—They _are_ girls right?"

"Haha. Yeah."

"—from other _planets_ would consider me cute."

"Mm-hm!"

"So, why are _you_ here?…No finger pointing intended."

"To meet some yummy earth guys, of course!"

"…Really."

"Yeah. You get pretty lonely, y'know, up in the ship. Kapri, Uncle, and the other baddies your only company."

"Huh."

"And they always go on and on about ruling the world or whatever. Gets annoying."

"…I'd say so. I barely get through Sensei's lectures. I mean, yeah, go ninja zen power and all that, but geez. The guy (or er…hamster) can talk for _hours_."

"Haha. Seriously? I'd always pictured the power rangers personal lives to be all meditation and training!"

"We're human too y'know."

"…So what _do_ you do on your spare time?"

"Motorbikes mostly. Racing, freestyle competitions and all that. Thought you'd know."

"Hey! Though…I'm not _technically_ human, I have other things to do beside spy on you guys!"

"Like…?"

"…watching soap operas and going shopping!"

"…Haha. Typical girl. Tell me something I _can't_ figure."

"…I like to…sing."

"Seriously?"

"Karaoke mostly."

"Wow. You have your own karaoke system at home or something?"

"I wish! I usually come down to Earth to sing in competitions and stuff."

"…That's awesome."

"Mm-hm. Now tell me something about yourself that I don't know."

"Erm…I like reading comic books."

"…I knew that already."

"…How?"

"Oh come on, your entire house has been under our surveillance since _forever_!"

"…!"

"Yeah! We can watch you at any time of the day! When you're eating…sleeping…showering…"

"…!"

"Kidding! Hahaha. You should've seen the look on your face."

"…I thought we were being civil."

"Oh, don't be such a wuss! I was just teasing."

"…Hah. _Very_ funny."

"…Isn't that what friends do?"

"…We're friends now?"

"…Do you _want_ to go back to being uncivil?"

"Hah. Now I'm teasing. Friend."

"For today, at least."

"That's…cool. …Your turn, by the way."

"To do what?"

"Tell me something about yourself I didn't know."

"Oh. Well, um…My favorite color's orange."

"Actually, I kinda pictured that."

"Seriously?"

"It's an aura thing."

"Hmmm. I'm guessing yours is yellow?"

"Hah. No. I'm more of a blue kinda guy myself."

"…Upset when you didn't become the Blue Ranger?"

"Not really. To be the blue ranger, my element had to be water. And…I don't really like water."

"How come?"

"...Er…"

"…You can't swim?"

"What? I didn't say that!"

"…Well, its not like you're denying it now!"

"…"

"What, you need like the floaty rubber wings in the pool?"

"…"

"Haha!"

"…As I have just thoroughly humiliated myself, I'd say it's your turn. What are you afraid of?"

"…Erm…"

"C'mon, spit it out."

"…Heights."

"Are you for real? When you live in a _space_ ship?"

"There's no gravity in space!"

"So its more like you're afraid to _fall_."

"I guess."

"I like heights actually. Wouldn't mind free-falling off a plane."

"Stop! Thinking about it gives me goose bumps!"

"…Or bungee-jumping."

"Urgh…"

"…mountain climbing…"

"…Grr…"

"Kidding! Just teasing. Again. Heh."

"You are _too_ kind."

"Haha. Really though, I'd like to go into professional motor cross. I like the adrenaline rush."

"So your dream's _not_ to become the greatest ninja defender of justice the world has ever known?"

"As awesome as that sounds, I'd like it as much as you'd like becoming the second Lothor."

"…Ew."

"Thought so."

"Well, my future consists of settling down with a good-looking piece of man and starting my own evil family."

"Haha. Sounds good. Er…except the evil thing."

"Well, that's why I came here!"

"The evil thing?"

"No! The good-looking piece of man thing. Little by little I'm working towards my goal! Meeting hot Earth guys and such."

"And you got me."

"…Yeah."

"…Disappointed?"

"…Actually…"

"…Hm?"

"You promise this'll _stay_ between us? …I wouldn't want people thinking _things_."

"Haha. Sure…promise."

"Disappointed…? …Not so much."

"…Chance encounters can be meaningful coincidences in disguise."

"…Wha?"

"Heh. Sensei proverb meaning, 'Likewise.'"

"Haha. Cute."

"Thanks."

-Ring-

"And your fifteen minutes are up couples! Hopefully, some of you were lucky enough to come across your soul mates! Or…y'know. Friends, at least, right? Come back tomorrow for another chance to meet the date of your dreams! …Cash only!"

-Ring-

"…Well, I'd better get going. What with my soap opera to catch, hatching evil schemes to take over the world and all that."

"…Haha. Me too. Just, instead of a soap opera, a comic book, and instead of hatching evil schemes, finding ways to stop them."

"Haha."

"Don't go falling off any cliffs now."

"Like you're one to talk water-wing-boy."

"Ssh! That stays between us."

"Teasing, remember?"

"…Yeah."

"…Oh, and…Dustin?"

"Hm?"

"…I…like movies."

"…Wow, Marah. What a _coincidence_. …So do I."

**-End-**

**A/N: Ahahahahahaha. This was pretty hard to write! I mean, in choice places I was seriously tempted to put things like, "He grinned," or "She giggled," etc. But I stuck with it! Hoorah! The whole situation, if you didn't know, is Dustin and Marah having a chance meeting at a Dating Experience Session. They talk (obviously) and in the end right there, is like a thrown in subtle, asking-out-on-a-date kinda thing.**

**I heart my fluff.**

**Review Responses:**

**Anninimouse: **Haha. Thanks. Yeah, I don't really work with angst much so i'm glad you enjoyed it.****

CamFan4Ever: ...-Is uber-flattered- Thanks!  
**Princess Aelita Lyoko:** That's GREAT! We need more DustinxMarah fans!  
**KristalSky:** Lol, Kris. Probably. I still have like 50 more chappies to go anyhow. -sweatdrop-  
**Funky In Fishnet:** Thanks a bunch. I added that end part there so people could breathe a bit better. -smile-  
**M14Mouse: **Thanks! I was going for a bittersweet kind of tone.  
**JuseaPeterson:** Wow! Reviews for all 4 chapters! You've made me one happy camper. Thanks so much for the commentary!

**Review!**


	6. Point of Distraction

**Instants **

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: Three words: Utterly Mindless Fluff.**

**Theme 5: History**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Six: Point of Distraction** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The room was a mess.

Dots of ink splattered the off-white walls and the carefully sanded floorboards. Crumpled notepaper and other trash-like objects littered the ground in tiny heaps. Rolled and unrolled scrolls filled nearly every square inch of the space.

If a passerby were to look in on the scene, they might have missed the fact that two teenagers were sitting smack dab in the middle of the clutter.

"Dustin." Called the brown haired female of the pair. Said boy looked up from the scroll he was analyzing, throwing said girl a questioning glance.

She distastefully picked up an empty bag of potato chips on the floor. "Why's this room such a mess?"

He grinned, taking a nearby trashcan so she could shoot in the junk. "Hey!" He voiced in mock offence, "Geniuses happen to thrive in mess."

Marah rolled her eyes, smilingly, "Filthy geniuses, sure."

Dustin pseudo-humphed. And he went back to work.

"Dustin." She said again lightly, interrupting his thoughts. She smiled when their brown orbs met. "Lets clean up!"

"What?" He raised an inquisitive brow, "Why?"

She threw a random scroll over her shoulder, huffing, "Because this place's a pigsty! How can you _ever_ get any work done—" she delicately raised an unidentifiable piece of junk, "—_here_?"

And he laughed, "My garbage has never bothered you before."

She bit her lip, "Well…It does now!"

"A ninja's gotta learn to adapt to all kinds of environments, y'know."

Her brows knit, "…Yeah, I guess. But I'm only a ninja in _training_! A student can't function like this!"

He winked, pinking her cheeks, "Yeah, well. I'll be the Big, Bad Sensei for today."

He handed her a scroll, a hint of smugness in his dark brown eyes, "Deal with it."

She pouted cutely, trying once again to concentrate on the chicken-scratch on the parchment in her fingers.

And failing.

"Dustiiiinnnn…" she whined once more, eliciting an unenthused sigh from her companion. "I can barely read this stuff in the light—"

He shook his head, chocolate locks falling into his eyes. "Marah, Marah, Marah…"

As they were sitting side by side upon the wooden surface, he cast her an oblique grin, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I _know_ the drill already. I'd been a student once before too."

She sent him a look, confusion set in her light russet pools. "What…?"

"The Distraction tactic." He explained offhandedly, as if it were some widely-known topic, "When you're doing something boring, which, in your case, is studying history, you distract both you and everyone within the vicinity with totally unimportant subjects."

She put on a shocked, indignant countenance, "What! No WAY! NOT even--! Why would I—Never in a MILLION, BILLION years--! I can't believe that you'd—"

She stopped short at the knowing feature in his irises.

Dramatic, much?

"…Did it work?" He chuckled, giving her shoulder a pitiable squeeze. "Sorry, Mar. I can't be fooled with tricks I invented."

Her brows rose with surprise, "Wow! _You_ invented the Distraction Tactic? How did you come up with such an _ingenious_ idea?"

The ex-yellow ranger grinned proudly, "Well it all started one day when—Hey!"

He gave her arm a teasing push, "Get back to work, pupil."

Sighing, Marah took yet another trillionth glance at the scrawl of ninja ancestry.

Ugh…

And the night wore on. 6 p.m. changed to 7 p.m. And the two teenagers studied their ninja history diligently.

…Well, the male at least.

While Dustin took a sip from his caffeine charged soda, Marah broke the easy silence with a blatant question.

"Why are student-teacher relationships not allowed?"

Dustin choked.

He turned to her with wide eyes, "Why would you…ask that?"

Marah smiled, "Just…curious."

The ex-yellow ranger tugged anxiously at the collar of his teaching uniform. The obvious heat on his cheeks made the girl have to stifle a giggle.

"Erm…because…it's inappropriate?"

She blinked. "Why so?"

"There's, like…a BIG age difference…" Sucky excuse, he knew, sighing.

"Hm." She poked him lightly in the shoulder. "Well…you're _my_ teacher…and you're, like, two years older _tops_!"

Dustin grinned slightly. Oh. Right.

"Well…I guess it'd just be very…"

She poked him again, giggling, for no reason whatsoever. When she was about to make a third attempt, the former Earth Ninja Ranger caught her wrist.

"Distracting."

He smirked, handing her yet another scroll. "Study time, trainee."

Marah groaned, wondering idly whether Tori or Kapri took this much time to study history. Geez, who the heck cared?

Looking up, surrendering herself to tedium, Marah began to count the roof boards. 1…2…3…

"Marah." The teen threw her an un-amused glance. "History."

"But Sensei Dustin…" Marah spoke exasperatedly, putting down the scroll he had forced into her hands. "I just…don't have a knack for history…"

She then, suddenly, smiled up at him, fluttering her eyelashes demurely, "Now if you'd like to discuss _our_ history…that's a _totally_ different story!" She grabbed hold of his free palm and rubbed lazy circles over the curve of his knuckles.

Dustin couldn't help the heat on his cheeks.

But that didn't mean he _wasn't_ irritated at her and her decidedly un-studious, utterly off-putting mannerisms.

Oh yes. That's right! She'd been _trying_ to distract him the entire tutor session.

"Marah." He grinned cheekily, silently applauding her attempt to divert with physical contact. "I'm not falling for that one, either." Inwardly, he congratulated himself for not getting suckered in. He patted her hand when he released it from the clutch on his own.

A wave of pride in his pitch, Dustin further boasted, "No amount of touching, though I will give you props for creativity, can ever sidetrack me—"

In a flash, Marah was in front of him, a somehow deviously innocent glint in her auburn eyes.

Confidently, she muttered a, "How much you wanna bet?"

And then she pounced.

More specifically, into the arms of a surprised (though not totally displeased) Dustin.

And if you'd like to venture into even greater detail, where Marah caught her sensei's unaware lips with her own in a mind-boggling, sense-bursting, heart-racing, soul-claiming kiss.

One too filled to the brim with uninhibited passion that Dustin (who had _just_ mentioned he could never be distracted) was, in fact, distracted. So distracted that he let himself fall back onto the scattered scrolls, run eager hands along the small of Marah's back, and return the kiss with as much fervor to be labeled 'inappropriate'.

It was at that moment that a passerby happened to walk in, dressed in crimson teaching robes. Shane.

"Whoa…" The couple broke apart in mere milliseconds, very embarrassed and a little out of breath. The ex-red ranger smirked, "I see I'm interrupting…something?"

"N-no!" Dustin waved a random scroll in his face, hoping the paper would shield his blush from his friend's sight. Marah nodded numbly.

"She distracted me just now, I swear!"

And Shane out right laughed. Oh. Did that sound wrong or what? "Well, Dustin, you'd better hope Marah never tries –_distracting_- her other tutors…"

Dustin glared and Marah huffed indignantly. Shuffling a random paintbrush with his foot, Shane raised a brow, "What's with the mess?"

"That's what I've been telling him!"

Dustin ran a hand through his hair, ignoring Marah's comment, "We were studying for her history class."

Shane guffawed again, grinned slyly at the bewildered couple, and left the room with a quick call over the shoulder, "Looked more like _chemistry _to me!"

**-End-**

**A/N: Wheee.**

**Thanks to all my reviewers! So sorry. No more review responses for my friend has informed me that sections like these are against the rules. –sweatdrop-**

**I -heart- you all! Review!**


	7. SOS! Weirdness!

**Instants **

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: Yay! I found out you could watch the ultimate Dustin/Marah episode "All About Beevil" on YouTube! And guess what! …I watched it! Hoorah! Anyhow, on to the instant. Collections of one-shots are never complete without the cliché Dear Diary segments, duh! Enjoy! **

**Theme 6: Simplicity**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Seven: SOS! Weirdness! ** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear Diary,

Er…

I'm talking to a book. Is that really ok? I mean, yeah, its not like anyone is watching me or anything…I hope.

But still. Tor said I was to keep you, Ms. (or Mr.?) Diary, a secret. No one but me is allowed to read you. That makes sense now that I think about it.

Yeah, 'cause if someone other than me did read you Diary, they'd surely think that I'm like, crazy or something.

And I'm not. Not in the maniac, psycho kinda way, anyway.

…I'm not sure how this whole process goes but Tor (when she gave you to me as a present) said that I tell you, (is it ok that I call you Di?) all my inner thoughts and wishes and hopes and dreams and stuff.

So here goes.

Di, I've been…really weird lately. Again, not in the serial killer sort of way, no. But…I guess it starts with Dustin Brooks. My friend, my sensei, and my fellow ninja.

A boy. No, not _my_ boy. _A_ boy. …Wow. Those words just made my heart drop.

Weird, see?

Anyway, I guess you need a bit more info on Dustin and me to fully understand my situation, Di.

First off, to tell you the truth (man, I'm on a roll with honesty today!), I haven't always been all that good. Looking back, I don't think I'd actually been all that bad, but still. I'd been an evil space ninja. Complete with a killer alien outfit, a chic evil domain among the stars, and one uber-evil uncle bent on ruling/destroying the world. Whichever came first.

Yeah. Then there's Dustin. Way back when, he'd been a _power ranger_. (Yes, I _do _mean the super hero teams in color-coordinated spandex.) The Yellow Earth Ninja Ranger, to be exact. He'd been trusting and loyal to a fault. Not to mention, I remember calling him cute on several occasions during my baddy days. He did have the most adorable smile!

…Ahem.

Okay so obviously we were on different sides. Him on the good side. And Me, fighting for evil. It'd been hard. Seriously.

Facing the facts, I was no Rita Repulsa. I'd mess up horribly on some missions and often worsen the worst situations for Lothor (my uber-evil uncle), Kapri (who I still call evil even though she'd joined the light at the same time I did), and all of the other villain residents on board.

One day, in an attempt to prove my utterly-evil mind set, I let my then good, evil friend Beevil onto the ship. Unknowingly, I had just let my supposedly evil-er replacement join the team.

Kicked off the ship and so unbelievably depressed, I teleported down to Earth.

Okay, Di, listen up, 'cause this is where Dustin comes in.

He saved me from being run over by racing, totally inconsiderate, dirt bikers. Risked his _life_, I tell you! To rescue me. _Me_.

Sometimes, Di, I seriously wonder how someone can be so totally sweet.

Anyway, after he saved me, he courteously dusted me off and asked if I was okay.

I'd never felt so…_special_ in my entire 16 years alive. We talked a bit, you know. And a bit of that subtle, on-the-side flirting thing.

Then, I told him I could help him defeat my uncle and--

...I…can't even write the rest, Di.

...The memories hurt. I can tell you though, that in the end…I…broke Dustin's trust. I guess his face when I'd betrayed him—so confused and so pained that I would've cried if it not been for my stubbornness to become the best bad girl I could be—will stay with me forever.

One of the quirks of being so insecure and guilt-ridden.

In the end, my sister and I, after our traitorous uncle left us for dead, joined the rangers in all their glory, and became students at the academy.

I'm still crazy surprised they accepted us.

When I became ninja-in-training, Dustin Brooks graduated, earning a teaching job at the Academy. I'd never before heard of 18-year-old Sensei but the school had always been a little strange.

And…that's it, I guess. Recap over and back to the present.

Anyway, like I mentioned before. I'm a bit…off.

And, I think, my off-ness can be traced to Dustin. …Or his words at least. And his actions. And smiles. His touches.

The other day, after one wicked tough training session, he met me after class, grinned cutely, patted me on my right shoulder, and said, "Good job today, Mar."

And my tummy did this weird flip thing. The feeling wasn't painful. Just…weird.

On another occasion, I magically ended up walking him to his other job at a motor bike store called Storm Chargers. We were too caught up, I guess, in friendly talk to notice how far we got till a random dirt biker nearly ran us over. (I swear, I don't know how Dustin rides those things! They're like…metal deathtraps!)

Before we said our goodbyes, he pointed vaguely to an eyelash dangling above my left cheek.

I don't really get the big deal with the eyelash thing. Some strange-oid human tradition.

Anyway, he reached out and gently caught the hair with his finger. His finger. His skin. A super simple gesture—his skin on mine, that is—and I started heating up!

Funny, because I think that had been a day back in winter.

He turned his back to me suddenly and when he decided to face me in a flash, his hands were pressed together, palm-to-palm, widespread fingers.

He smiled, "Pick a finger."

I was so confused, it wasn't even funny. But I did so anyway. His ring finger, I think.

He parted the digits and…my eyelash was between them. Then he said that I should blow the eyelash away and make a wish.

I think I gave him a look. 'You're insane, Dustin' it said. But I did so anyway.

He laughed and my face reddened undeniably.

My wish came true the next month.

Next month, meaning last month in present time.

Last month, my pet hamster, Taro, had died. I was insanely sad about it too! Taro had been a very good secret keeper. So I went to school in my depression and I guess people noticed. Or, at least, Dustin did. When he asked after school that day, I told him without hesitation.

He chuckled and told me to go home to 'rest my puffy eyes.' I was a tiny bit indignant, but I went anyhow.

The next day hadn't been all that different. Training, studying scrolls, more training, more studying scrolls, break, even more training, and (you guessed it), even more studying scrolls.

As the day ended and the students filtered out in a rush (probably 'cause it was Friday), Dustin asked me to stay behind.

He flashed me one of his boyish smiles, and my heart…kinda, sorta…leapt.

Don't know why, it just did. And the blushing thing happened again when he pulled out a big, wrapped present from behind his desk.

"Open it," He said. I don't know how I managed to undo all the wrap and knots in the ribbon with all my fidgeting, but I did. As I lifted the lid, my eyes met with one of the cutest things I'd ever seen in the entire world.

A puppy. I squealed excitedly.

I looked to Dustin and he seemed a bit…frazzled. Embarrassment maybe?

He then explained, "My friend gave him to me when his dog had puppies. So…I was thinking…"

It was like the tiny acrobats in my stomach were doing their routine thing again.

"…maybe we could share him?" And I then did something uber-embarassing, Di.

This time, it hadn't been my heart that had leapt.

I did. To drown Dustin in the biggest hug of his life.

When I said thank you, he didn't really verbally say you're welcome.

…He wrapped his arms around me instead.

And a whole bout of strange feelings attacked me at the same exact time. The flippy stomach, the leapy heart, the warm cheeks, the sweaty palms.

I felt weird, Di. But strangely…good.

And--…Oh the time! Jeez, its 1:00 a.m. I have to wake up super early tomorrow for training, Di.

Dustin said he was going to give me a few pointers on...what was it? Wrestling moves? I think he said something about, "Different holds..."

So, I'll catch you later!

Or...uh…write…in you…later.

Much love,

Marah

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tori looked up from the Diary, giggling.

She was amazed with Marah's… naiveté.

And the fact that something so straightforward as a diary entry (not to mention, a first one) could become a make-shift love letter.

Maybe, she could slip it casually into Dustin's teaching workload tomorrow.

And hopefully for her, they'd be too busy making out to realize her sweet, but unbelievably simple intentions.

**-End-**

**A/N: Gosh. It's hard to write in Marah's POV because of the informality of her outlook. It's not as if I could put something like, "My heart beat was thundering dangerously against my rib cage and my face had blossomed with heat to match that of a tomato's crimson pigment." …It just sounds so…un-Marah-ish. **

**-grin- -grin- -grin- -sweatdrop-**

**Thanks again to my gorgeous reviewers!**

**Review!**


	8. Meteor Showers

**Instants **

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: (meh.) A lazy piece. Done in 14.6 minutes. Finals, y'know. Also, that's why I haven't updated in a bit.**

**Theme 7: Wish**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Eight: Meteor Showers ** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"D-dustin!" She mumbled panicked, squeezing the driver's torso that much tighter. Said driver grinned beneath his rider's helmet. Oh how he loved biking.

The girl snuggled her face deeper into her boyfriend's back, and he emitted an inaudible sigh of contentment.

Especially if Marah was his passenger.

"D-_Dustin_!" she cried again, brown locks flying past in a whoosh of adrenaline-pumping atmosphere.

"Almost there." He responded, swerving his motorcycle at a particularly sharp right. Behind him, Marah squealed and he found it hard to stifle a chuckle.

"This isn't funny!" She retorted, "It's _dangerous_!"

"Just a little ways more." He looked back at her, his brown orbs lighting at the sight of her adorable face. A mix of something between fury and fear.

Cute.

"Keep your eyes on the road!" Marah reminded him, fidgety digits clutching his shirt. Normally, the girl wasn't so uptight, but he understood. It was her first time on a bike. And his first on the road.

The driving in itself was actually way easier then dirt biking…but nervousness was quite expected. Grinning again, he looked once more to the paved track in front of him.

There!

Dustin screeched to a stop. "We're here."

Gingerly taking off her helmet, Marah looked around with dazed eyes. "Where's 'here'?"

Cheekily, Dustin set his kickstand, got himself and Marah off, and said, "My spot."

Taking her hand, the ex-yellow ranger pulled her along through branch and brush, till they met a clearing. It was a small confined space, wilderness on one edge and a short cliff stopping the other. But it was spacious enough for the both of them.

The male plopped on the soft grass, patting the spot next to him. She followed suit.

"So why did you bring me here?" Marah questioned, breaking the stillness of the night air. "I mean, it's nice and all," she explained, "but if you wanted to sit on grass we could've just gone to your house…"

Laughing, Dustin patted her affectionately on the head, earning him a warm blush and an irritated "Stop that!"

"Meteor shower tonight." He whispered quietly.

"…Dustin." She sighed, rubbing her nose from the low temperature. "I mean, everything you do is sweet and all! It's just…" she hesitated, choosing her next words carefully. "…I lived in space for most of my life. Don't you think I'd have seen a meteor shower before?" She unconsciously rubbed her arms. "And it's cold."

"Well," Dustin sent her a sheepish smile, "you've never seen it from _Earth_." He gently hooked a lock of dangling hair behind her ear, "Trust me, its way different."

She nodded, doubts dissipating.

"And about the cold." He took off his own jacket, hung the warm cloth from her shoulders, and pulled her into a half-embrace. "Better?"

She smiled. "Mmm."

A few minutes of serene silence later, the light show began. "Look." Dustin shook her arm and pointed to the once-dark sky.

Streaks of glowing light illuminated the night's blackness, overcoming even the brightest of stars in radiance. "Wow." Marah's breath caught slightly in her throat. The view _was_ different from Earth. "It's…beautiful."

At her side, Dustin lightly squeezed her shoulder, "Told ya so."

Marah giggled softly, bestowing his cheek with a chaste kiss. "Thanks for bringing me here."

He rested his head upon hers, when she took to lying in the crook of his neck, "No prob."

The last of the shooting stars made their way across the nightscape and Dustin mumbled, "Now make a wish."

She shot him a slightly confused look and he explained, "Wish upon a star." Grinning at her cluelessness, he continued, "If you wish hard enough, it might just come true."

Marah's auburn eyes widened, "Seriously?"

Dustin nodded, chuckling.

"Oh." Marah raised her gaze, looking up at the bright sparks. She smiled excitedly, "Well, I wish—"

Dustin suddenly covered his ears, childishly putting space between his hearing and her voice.

"You're not supposed to tell me!"

She couldn't contain her giggling.

---- 9 years later ----

"D-dustin!" She mumbled panicked, squeezing the driver's torso that much tighter. Said driver grinned beneath his rider's helmet. Oh how he _really_ loved biking.

The girl snuggled her face deeper into his back, and he emitted an inaudible sigh of contentment.

"D-_Dustin_!" she cried again, brown locks flying past in a whoosh of adrenaline-pumping atmosphere.

"Almost there." He responded, swerving his motorcycle at a particularly sharp right. Behind him, Marah squealed and he found it hard to stifle a chuckle.

"This isn't funny!" She retorted, "It's _dangerous_!"

She poked him in the side, referring to the newly installed passenger car to their left.

"Need I remind you, Dustin, that your _son_ is riding too!" Marah Brooks chided her husband.

"What are you talking about, Mar?" Dustin replied smiling. "Damion's a _natural_."

And indeed the brown-haired, bright-eyed little 6-year-old rascal was grinning wildly, a near carbon copy of his father at a younger age. "This is fun, mom!"

When they reached "The Spot," the Brooks family sat down awaiting the next meteor shower. Little Damion had fallen asleep from the mere rush and lay comfortably in his mother's lap.

"Last time we were here," Marah voiced, reminiscent, "We were teenagers."

"Yeah." She placed a tender kiss on his cheek as the light show came on as it had 9 years ago.

Marah smiled, "I guess I _did_ wish hard enough last time."

Dustin laughed softly.

**-End-**

**A/N: See? See how…family-ish it was? (shiver) I don't usually do that. I like the teenager thing. Suits me best I think.**

**Much THANKS to:**

**Anninimouse, Princess Aelita Lyoko, KristalSky, Funky In Fishnet, MagCat, JuseaPeterson**

**For ReViEwInG Last Chappie!**

**Be nice and review!**


	9. A Breakdown of Insecurities

**Instants **

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: Woohoo. New style of writing. Deliberately verbose, confusing and a mesh of Action and Thought and Words. Though not much wit with the words. (sweatdrop)  
**

**Theme 8: Another Step**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Nine: A Breakdown of Insecurities ** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

76…77…78…

Geez, this was taking too long.

93…94…95…

They'd spent like what, 36 whole-"Marah, we're not supposed to be here!"- minutes climbing the god forsaken stairs. Not that he was a stranger to trouble, for he'd had quite his fair share.

(insert brief mental backpedaling to various curfew-breaking, rule-bending moments in time here)

The brunette sighed, scratching idly at his head of brownie-brown curls. It was just…if they were caught, he'd _surely_ (without a miniscule atom of hope) be punished. He'd be reprimanded for his irresponsibility (he'd grown out of the student gear to fit Sensei robes, after all) at best and _Oh-Man-Please-No_, fired at worst.

And Marah. …_Dude_. Thinking about the (definitely, near undoubtedly looming) possibility of _her_ capture, should be giving her goosebumps. Like. Right Now.

Keyword: _should_.

He gazed up at his (impossibly chipper, sunny, bubbly, _giddy_) companion and held in the needling urge to gape. Excitement shook her nerves, her bright eyes overflowing with the giggly emotion.

In spite of the fact that this was _the_ (wherein 'the' is italicized because, yeah. It's that important.) Tower of Integrity, the point where the Ninja Academy founder had first rounded up his ninja apprentices in order to teach them The Way.

The very place where the _first_ Ninja Storm Power Ranger had been initiated.

(Meaning it had that ancient—scratch that, WAY ancient kind of importance.)

This sacred tower was forbidden to all unless the inevitability of dire circumstance came about and desperate ritualistic action was a necessity.

'Dire circumstance' did not include a (prohibited) night out and 'desperate ritualistic action' did not pertain to taking in scenery.

Punishment was dealt where it was due.

And yet there she went. Still climbing, tugging at his sleeve when he'd hesitate or pause in his movements. Chiding teasingly that being inactive as a power ranger was giving him a beer belly. (Which was, _of__course_, false. He was still as fit as ever, lean and muscles tight. His chasing her down (or was it up?), however, did result in their going double-time.)

She was still brimming at the seams with a (sorta, kinda) untainted variety of happiness.

Her person never ceased to amaze him.

119…120…121…

How many steps did the place need? Really.

137…138…139…

And seriously. How was it that he- being the one who'd gone through years (and years and years and _years_ on end) of hardcore training, relentless periods of mind numbing meditation, countless hours perfecting his technique- was feeling slightly out of breath while she was very nearly _skipping_ up the chipping stone steps and running a wagging finger along the curve of the cobble walls?

Given he'd been doing (obviously fruitless, considering their situation now) yelling at the beginning of the entire escapade. But she should have done enough of that (continuous, ear-echoing!) giggling to make her the _least_ bit (I mean, come on!) tired.

"Dustin! Let's go, let's go!" She threw him a semi-pointed look, a warning that he'd better pick up the pace. Or else. When he huffed and humored her request by skipping a couple of steps every other (grumbling-under-his-breath) minute, her face melted into a blinding grin and then a fit of high-pitched laughs. "It's 4:23 already!" She replied breezily. "We've got to get to the top! Hurry!"

And her skipping magically transformed into superhuman prancing.

Her teacher followed behind, eye twitching.

Where the hell was she getting all her surplus energy reserves?

Sure. Ok. So she wasn't human. But his physical victories, battles, fistfights, etc. against her should have (_Again_ that key word) proven his stamina stronger than hers.

End of Story.

Then (seeing as there was no other way to rightfully explain it) she was just…uh…bouncy, by nature?

"Tick, tock, _Sensei_!" She chimed loudly through the pseudo-darkness. As _if_ she hadn't been climbing stairs. For a full 47 minutes. Shrouded in the grayish vibes of pre-morning. He sighed for the nth time.

The concept was mind-boggling.

She smiled cheekily at him. Again. And Dustin came to startling solution that slowed his escalation. Marah's pace dawdled a bit when she noticed. "What!" She announced in sing-song soprano, "you can't be tired already!"

She turned on her heel again, humming a light tune. "Almost there!" She called quickly over her shoulder, and then turned full circle along the winding stairs.

The (strange, improbable, highly unlikely, embarrassing, etc) conclusion he'd drawn was this: Marah was bounding with unending assets of life because, well, (gulp, cough)…she was glad to um…(choke) be with him?

(Yeah, and that was the _most_ modest thought he'd ever had. Ever.)

Putting the thought, along with her numerous smiles, her flirtatious winking, her flippant hand-holding, her casual hugs, her feather light touches—

"Dustin!" She had totally halted her venture upwards, looking at him with glazed chocolate eyes. "Do you need me to _carry_ you up the stairs?" She was rather annoyed looking he noticed.

Obviously very subject to change in mood. He exhaled exasperatedly. (_Women_.)

--_aside_, he once again continued his climbing of the (seemingly never ending) steps.

And then she sped up the stairs again as if to make up for lost time.

He sighed because looking at her made him feel old. And he was only 4 months her senior too!

Her voice reverberated along the cobwebbed contours of the walls, "Dustin!"

With a low mumbling, (Why the hell was she hurrying anyway?) he carried on after her, the tapping of her heels on stone in his ears.

155…156…157…

And she'd said they were almost there. (snort)

162…163…164…

"Just a few more steps!" she declared smilingly again a few seconds later. He relinquished the urge to poke her in the side, right at the juncture of her hips and ribs (one of her big tickle spots).

About the 156th step up, Marah stumbled. In a flail of arms and a yelp of surprise, she fell back numerous rounds down, before she landed (all red faced from shock and fear and humiliation and _embarrassment_ all rolled in one) flush against a shaking Dustin's chest.

"Marah!" He couldn't stop himself from yelling, his voice tinged with rickety alarm. He clutched at her when she whimpered lightly. "Oh…god." He uttered, softer this time, and holding her as if he were hugging her from behind.

If he hadn't been so quick to act, if his reflexes had been the tiniest bit off, she would've…

He squeezed his eyes shut, not even able to think about it. Not about anything else as a matter of fact. Dustin didn't bother to take into notice their position, (which, bearing in mind the closeness of their bodies, was rather…compromising) he didn't take into consideration the heat on her cheeks.

He didn't even wonder about the unsteady limbs he was holding her with or how hard he was gasping against her hair…how their stance radiated a sense of non-platonic-…-ness.

"I-I'm," she stuttered a bit, shoving a hand through her auburn locks, " –good now, Dustin, thanks." She disentangled themselves and trudged forth yet again, half a smile on her countenance and pink coloring in the apples of her cheeks. In a swish of russet locks, she turned to face him. Again, she was grinning, "Really, Dustin. Thanks for catching me."

She blew him a kiss, "My hero." As was her per usual.

At that point, he nearly exploded with frustration. "Stop it, Marah!" He exclaimed, making a grab at her palm. She gave him a semi-curious glance, eyebrow raised. And he continued ranting, "We're not supposed to be here! Don't you understand that!" He wasn't all that angry at her. Honest. More so, he was irritated with himself, but—

"You bring that up _now_, after we're almost at the top?" She retaliated with fervor.

--she obviously took it the wrong way.

"Yes well, I've found the error of my judgment." He bit, his eyes fiery, "And we're going back—_now_." He said, forcing his voice into its lowest pitch (his Hard-ass Sensei voice).

"No!" It wasn't like the girl to be disrespectful. Cheeky, yes, but never down right insubordinate. "We are almost there!" She gave a short pause to glance at her orange wristwatch (courtesy of him naturally) "It's 5:20 now." She mumbled, a bit pleadingly. "We can still get there."

"Marah, you are completely blowing my directions off!" He answered, forcing her down a step. "If you come with me now, I promise there will be no punishment." His gaze was sharp, meaningful.

She blinked. _Serious_.

"Dustin," she argued, her rebellious streak refusing to be stepped upon, "What's the big deal! They're stairs! Dustin, STAIRS!"

Her grabbed her forearm, "That you almost fell from!"

"I'm not hurt, Dust—"

"Well, you could've been!" He interrupted, doggedly. "It's my duty as your teacher, your sensei, your friend, your…your--!"

His hand lowered from the grab at her bicep to her hand, grip becoming tighter instinctively. "—I-It's my duty to make sure you're safe."

And he could've sworn her eyes got glossy.

She quietly looked at their intertwined fingers and gave his palm a reassuring squeeze. "Thank you, Dustin."

His eyebrows knit in utter confusion when she sent his way one of her most bright (beautiful…) smiles. "For caring." She took her free hand to his jaw, caressing the flesh to make him blush. Her pink lips widened with a hint of amusement, "For catching me when I fall. Literally."

"But I need to see this _once_." She confessed determinedly, letting his hand drop limply to his side. "Just once."

"Marah!" Again, Dustin attempted to seize her arm, wanting nothing but to drag her back down the crumbling steps, out of trouble, and out of harms way—

But she stepped up defiantly, out of his reach. "The only way you're going to stop me is with physical force." She answered him, usually sparkling eyes blazing with resolve. "Because you can't convince me to turn around now. Not when I'm so close. Not when it's almost _time_."

A quick glance at her watch again informed her need to depart. Tossing him a quick, offhand grin, she made a quick dash up the stairs. "Later Dustin!"

(Insert minute of awe/obliviousness here.)

A quiet growl echoed off the walls, before the ex-yellow ranger followed suit. If she was so strong-minded about this whole endeavor, he might as well be there for the safety part of his responsibility, if not the discipline element. He was here not as her teacher, her instructor, her Sensei. He was here as her friend, her support, her—

"Marah, wait _up_!" He called, knowing the close quarters of the winding tower would carry along his echoes. In response, he heard the…opening of a door?

190…191…192…

Just how far up ahead was she? (She must've _flown_, or something.)

197…198…199…

One more step.

200.

He blinked quickly. 200 whole degenerating stone steps in the entire blasted tower.

And he'd just climbed to the top.

The stairway ended with a door. An open one now, considering Marah had gone inside. "Marah!" Dustin called again though the dimness. He made his way speedily past the threshold, only to stop in his tracks at the sight before him.

On the other side of the door lay a large, marble arch, glossed over and elegant, leading graciously to the French-gated balcony. Slowly crossing the room (which took no great feat as the space was tiny in itself) Dustin joined Marah on the veranda.

Breath hitched, the ninja gazed over awe-eyed at the scene of the town, the people, the woods, the Academy, the park, the beach, the track, _everything_ in its natural, unshaken state.

"Wow." Dustin couldn't help but utter at the view.

Beside him, Marah nodded dazedly. In a soft voice, she spoke, "My mom thought so too."

As the question caught him off guard, the young man's eyes widened ever so slightly, turning upon the girl beside him, "Your mom…?"

Without meeting his look, the brunette explained, "Yeah. I had one before too, y'know!" A joke. She'd always lighten the mood at the oddest moments for some unfathomable reason, he noticed. Her nature?

Her brown orbs once again took to a jaded appearance.

…Or an unconscious emotional boundary?

"She'd…been here before." The girl continued, her hands clenching over the railing. "The last time I saw her, I was like 7 I think, and she'd just visited Earth. She…told me about this place." Marah smiled a little, her expression growing semi-nostalgic and part sad. "She'd talked so…highly about it. I got excited just listening to her!"

A heavy silence followed, causing her to fidget.

"But she just…vanished soon after…"

Her smile disappeared.

"…Kapri and I found out she was dead a year later…a-and since she was all we had, we went to live with Uncle."

She cringed a bit, "…Lothor."

Dustin watched her pained expression with concern.

"The last thing I remember my mom telling me was that she'd wanted to visit here. Again, I mean."

_Why_?

"I've wanted to come here ever since."

Why was she sharing this? With him? When it was so obviously hurting her…on the inside?

"So that's why you wanted to get here so bad."

She nodded numbly. Finally, she met his eyes, a fragile air locked in her irises. She managed a small grin nonetheless. "Thanks for coming with me."

In an instant (one so small that you wouldn't have caught if you blinked) her demeanor straightened out and she became the Marah that was all air-headed-ness and gossip and smiles. The Marah he'd taught for 2 years. The Marah he'd known all this time.

The Marah that she chose to present to the outside world.

"Yeah. I mean, if you didn't, I'd probably be like in pieces right now or something." She laughed again and Dustin couldn't help but notice the wetness at one corner of her eye. Carefully, he took a finger (despite the fact it simply screamed cliché!) and wiped away a stray tear, silencing her.

He smiled when he found her positively glowing. Quite literally.

Wait…glowing? Dustin looked to the horizon.

Oh.

This was why she'd dragged him out of bed at 3 in the morning. Why she'd trespassed (taking him along for the ride) on forbidden property. Why she'd broken into one of the most respected structures to all ninja followers. Why she'd forced him to climb 200 steps.

To watch the sun rise over the highest point in the city.

"Look, Dustin!" his companion exclaimed to the right of him. "I told you if we hurried we'd make it!"

He cautiously stole a glance at the (glowing in both ways actually) girl…teen…_woman_ beside him, her features at peace.

She was so…confusing, this one.

She was a girl full of life, bounding with energy, excitement (the things he thought only the Energizer bunny was capable of). Someone who was carefree, almost to the point of being reckless and clumsy, sometimes downright self-righteous. A character bursting with girlishness, flamboyancy, flirtatiousness but who all the while upheld a typical moodiness and an undying persistency. A person, selfish in her own right, but so unbelievably selfless in an instant.

He'd seen another side of that girl today.

Another Side. Another Stride. Another Step.

It all came down to being another step. To figuring out the puzzle of Marah's innate changes in character, to breaking down the walls her insecurities had fortified. To putting together the pieces, the fragments, the tiny bits and shards of what made up…Marah—mind, body, and heart.

He watched as her face washed in an ethereal light, her eyes shimmering with joy and tears, her pink lips lifting at the corners.

Grinning a little, Dustin found himself thinking that his temporary strife just might have been all worth it.

**-End-**

**A/N: I did this mainly as a Marah character study. Not that much fluff, really. (Well, not enough for me at least. XD) But yay. Look! About twice as long as my last chappie. Review if you enjoyed! (or otherwise would simply like to supply some useful constructive criticism.) (grin)**

**Much THANKS to:**

**CamFan4Ever, Anninimouse, MagCat, Princess Aelita Lyoko, Jusea Peterson, Funky in Fishnet, KristalSky, kooky**

**For ReViEwInG Last Chappie! You guys keep me going! XD**

**Be nice and review!**


	10. Bollocks!

**Instants **

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: Whee. I finally updated! Took me a while 'cause I didn't want to copy CamFan4Ever's brilliant 'The Call' one-shot. So I finally thought one up! Wherein Dustin is hesitant to call Marah after 6 months of no contact, and gets advice from a random British, Charlie! **

**-Hee, hee- I heart Charlie. Even if he's a bit of a jerk.**

**Theme 9: The Call**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Ten: Bollocks! ** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Egad.

How bloody long have I been waiting here?

…

Bollocks to you, Charlie. Forget your phone one time, and you're stuck behind a blooming bloke who obviously has no idea how to ring someone up!

-tap, tap-

"Hullo! Hullo in there! Yes, _you_ pra—er I mean, boy."

"Er…yeah?"

"So sorry to bother your…contemplations, but, _honestly_. It's a doddle to ring someone up. Just punch in the numbers and you're jolly well set!"

Bloody daft wanker.

-laugh nervously-

"Well, I do know how to call (or…er, ring) someone. That part's easy."

-sigh-

"It's the talking part that actually freezes me up."

"Hmm. Let me take a guess. Chatting up a bird?"

"…What?"

"Christ…I meant…_Flirting_ with your _girl_?"

-choke-

"…Um…Marah's actually not my girl…"

"I'm sensing the 'yet's' still hanging in the air?"

-chuckle-

"Sort of."

-sigh-

"Would you go like a _bomb, _if I listen to what you're going on about?"

"Definitely dude, thanks! I'm Dustin."

"Charlie. Charmed, I'm sure. Insert endless yakking here. On with it man."

-laugh-

"Ok, ok. So you see, I actually haven't seen her, Marah, in quite a while."

"How long?"

"…6 months."

"Bloody hell. And you've never bothered to write her?"

"I have! …A few times. It's just, I was away at freestyle competitions, races—I'm a dirt biker, you see—and I just couldn't find the time."

"So you're saying that this is your first ring to her in 6 _months_?

"…yes."

-blink, blink-

"…"

"…Well, then. Hard lines for you, chap. Girls don't often take…ignorance, lightly.

-wince-

"…I know. That's why I'm not exactly in a rush to call her."

"How long have you known this…Marah was it?"

"Yeah. Quite a while. 5 years I think, since I was 16. We knew each other from…work. And er…yeah. …We're not really together. I mean there are signs and…stuff. And I like her—and…er…well…Here's a picture of her."

"…You twit! The girl's bleeding _dishy_. You've got to be bloody off your rocker to let this one off!"

-sigh-

"…I know that! And she's sweet and quirky and fun and—"

"Then ring her, prat!"

"…I'm getting to it."

-groan-

"But what the heck am I going to say, 'Oh, Marah, baby. I know I've basically ignored you for the past 24 weeks, but can we just make up and pick up where we left off?"

"Bloody hell, you're dim! Pick up the phone and apologize first!"

"…Apologize?"

"Yes! Better yet, do something romantic, wacky, spontaneous. Chicks go for that kind of thing."

"Seriously?"

"Do I look _barmy_ to you? Yes, for Brit's sake! Go buy flowers, take her on a date or something."

-thoughtful-

"…That's…a good idea."

"Of course it is."

"…So…I…call her first?"

"Blimey. Yes. Do it. Chivvy along will you?"

"…Er…yeah. Ok."

-sigh-

"Finally."

"Thanks a lot, Chuck."

"It's Charlie. Don't call me that. Ever."

-laugh-

"Sure thing, dude. And by the way, where'd you learn to deal with girls, anyway?"

"I do have experience in the romance department, y'know, and—you prat! Stop dawdling and ring the poor girl."

"Ok, ok!"

-ring, ring-

"Is Marah there?"

---

"Hey Marah…It's me."

---

"Yeah…before you say anything else, I just want to say that I'm…sorry. I haven't contacted you in the whole 6 months I was gone and I know I'm an idiot and I just want to see you so I can apologize again and again and—"

-eye roll-

"Gagging Bloke."

"—You get the point. I was just so busy with work and stuff. And I know I'm making dumb excuses and I want to explain so if you would meet me at Storm Chargers…"

---

"…A-a date? Er…I mean, no. Or yeah, sure, I mean, if you want it to be, er…Hold on."

"Crap!"

-sigh-

"What's the problem, _now_?"

"What if she isn't single anymore!"

"…Well, then sod it. You've wasted both our time here."

"B-but what about all that experience you said you had! C'mon man, I need help here!"

-groan-

"Bloody pillock…Gods, do you like this girl?"

"Yes."

"Then you need to meet with her at that Storm place or wherever. Talk to her, tell her you missed her, tell her you're so sorry, that you're a blooming twit, and that you like her! And if she already has someone, you let her go, let her be happy and you move on, because it's all you're bleeding fault for not keeping in touch with her in the first place!"

-sigh-

"You're…right."

"Marah?"

---

"Yeah. I…just want to see you. Meet me around 7 tonight ok?"

---

"Mm-hm. See you there. Bye."

"So she's meeting with you."

-anxious chuckle-

"Yeah."

-sigh-

"You're one lucky bloke, mate."

-laugh-

"…Yeah."

"…So what are you still waiting around here, for? Go buy her roses or something! Swoon her, sweep her off her feet, snog the girl senseless!"

"…Er…what?"

"Or…uh…'make-out' as you Americans say."

-blush-

"…Yeah. Uh. Right. Thanks by the way. I so couldn't have pulled this off without you, Charlie."

"Right."

"Is there any way I could like…return the favor?"

"Oh, I dunno. How about…_getting out of the bloody phone box_?"

-sheepish smile-

"Oh. Yeah. Well I'm off to the flower shop! Thanks again!"

"Yes, yes."

"Cheerio, old chap!"

"…"

-blink, blink-

"Don't ever do that again."

-laugh-

"Pip pip, mate!"

-eye roll-

"Bloody American."

**-End-**

**A/N: Yay for Brit slang! Hopefully, I didn't offend. –sweatdrop- I picked these up from watching Harry Potter movies and hanging with my Brit friend Sarah way too many times. -hehe-  
**

**Here's a short guide to Charlie's little sayings:**

**Egad- an interjection. Much like how we say, "Oh God."**

**Bloody- an expletive used to enhance words. **

**Bollocks- basically used to describe something that's no good.**

**Bloke- a guy.**

**Ring someone up- call someone on the telephone**

**Doddle- something easy, a cinch, a piece of cake.**

**Jolly- very**

**Daft- stupid**

**Wanker- derogatory term for jerk**

**Chatting up- Flirting with**

**bird- girl**

**go like a bomb-go really fast**

**to go on about- to talk about**

**yakking- talking incessantly**

**Hard lines- bad luck**

**chap- same as bloke.**

**twit- idiot**

**bleeding- another form of bloody**

**dishy- attractive**

**off your rocker- crazy**

**prat- an insulting name**

**dim- stupid**

**barmy- crazy**

**blimey- exclamation of surprise**

**chivvy along- hurry up**

**gagging- desperate**

**sod it- an exclamation used when something goes wrong**

**pillock- a less rude word for prat**

**blooming- another replacement for bloody**

**mate- friend**

**snog- make-out**

**phone box- phone booth**

**And Dustin says:**

**Cheerio- goodbye**

**Pip pip- outdated version of goodbye.**

**Much THANKS to:**

**CamFan4Ever, Jusea Peterson, Funky in Fishnet, KristalSky**

**For ReViEwInG Last Chappie! You all rock my socks! -smile-  
**

**Click that little blue button and review please!  
**


	11. Bending Dispositions

**Instants**

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: Gah. I know, I know. Everyone's done an All-About-Beevil look-back. Totally unoriginal on my part. –hehe- But I couldn't help it! I like looking into Marah's character and creating reasons for why she is the way she is. It's my…sort-of justification for her betraying Dustin! –grin-**

**Theme 10: Lost**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Eleven: Bending Dispositions ** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'm lost.

So dang lost that…it's not even funny anymore.

No. I'm not lost…like, actually, _physically_ lost. More like. Just. Spiritually. Mentally.

Or something.

Gah.

I mean I…don't get _anything_ anymore. The world…it doesn't make _sense_.

All my life. All my _LIFE_, I've been raised a certain way.

"Power is _everything_, Marah."

"Never be fooled by those fanciful notions—love, friendship, honor."

"Those who trust don't survive in the end."

"Live on _hatred_."

"Do things so that you always come out on top in the end, Marah."

"Disregard others. Simply because they're not you, they don't matter."

Generally, the influencing voices of my childhood were all telling me one thing:

"Be evil, Marah."

And as a naïve little girl, I bought it. Of course. Because, I mean, I'm _Marah_. Stupid little so-easily-_pathetically_-swayed Marah.

I thrived on _evilness_. I remember when I was like…8, I think. I'd lent Kapri my doll once. Because, she's…my _sister_, you know? Surely you can be nice to your own _sister_.

Well, she broke the thing. And I remember…vowing to never share—never trust Kapri again.

I've been let down by so many people.

My parents. For abandoning us. Thanks a whole _bunch_ mom and dad! Did you know that Uncle Lothor, the guy you so flippantly left to care for us, basically doesn't think much of our existences? Seriously?

Of course you wouldn't. Because you were never _there_!

Uncle. Now he is _evil_ through and through. Feelings don't matter. Family doesn't matter. But power does.

The bastard!

Kapri. Well…I already said the doll thing. Yeah. Enough said.

Naturally, because of my surroundings, I learned to care just about me. For my self. Sure. Ok. So _alliances_ existed. Where two people swear on their own lives (because morals are a kind of…unheard of thing here) that they won't attempt to kill each other.

But things like…caring and trust. Like, what the heck is _that_?

That had always been _my_ world.

Up until a couple of days ago, that is. When I met a power ranger in _person_ for the first time.

His name was Dustin Brooks.

And it's hard to forget how we first _officially_ met.

He saved my life. He's a power ranger so I guess its instinct for him. But for me...

Dang, I was like so incredibly surprised when he suddenly grabbed me from the side.

There I was, depressed over Uncle replacing me and kicking me off the ship. I immediately headed for Earth and started walking gloomily down the middle of this dirt road. (Yeah, pretty stupid, I know!) These bikers almost run me over and—BAM!

The guy like comes out of nowhere, and tackles me…to safety.

I landed halfway on top of him, and our eyes met. I was _lost_ then too. His eyes were such a nice brown. Not like Uncles dirt colored orbs. Like a mix of hazel and auburn.

He smiled.

And I almost blushed.

He was a _power__ranger_ for Pete's sake! He wasn't my enemy at the moment, no. But _hello_?

There was a little thing called _history_ involved!

Nonetheless, we became friends. Like real friends. Not the ones who backstab you, replacing you for a chance at eternal glory, that sort of thing. But like mutual trust, I-actually-care-about-you-as-you-care-about-me, teasing, (flirting) friends.

We plotted together too. To take down Uncle. And I remember being so super excited.

Because it felt like…like-I don't know…like I was finally part of something…_real_. Part of something that held true purpose. Part of something that…I _wanted_ to be part of. And not just was trained—_forced_—to be part of.

The change was really…new. Refreshing.

…Weird. Because that was not how I was raised to be. I was supposed to take all this trust, friendship, blah, blah, blah thing. Beat it up. Kick it when it was down. Then spit on its bloody corpse!

…Right?

When I had first revealed my true self to him, he naturally went back on guard.

And I thought that was how things were _supposed_ to be. The universe was once again in balance.

When he noticed my not exactly in-the-mood-for-a-fight hysterical state, he broke down his bearings. Sat next to me.

I cried and spilled my guts to him, not really caring that we were supposed to be like fighting or something. I just needed to wail and have someone there to listen to me wail. Dustin told me he believed me. He swore he believed me. And I was kind of like—what the heck?

Then I was all, "WHAT THE HECK?" when the guy tried to _comfort_ me. Pat on the back and everything!

At one point I was so confused—so frustrated—that I just wanted to slap him! Slap that cute, smiling face that was slowly earning my trust, hurt that adorably charming boy who was saying these seriously stupid things.

How could I, Marah, an _evil_ space ninja, the power rangers' _nemesis_, turn to the good side?

Like I said before, though, I was somehow convinced. (God, I'm an idiot!)

Uncle found me that night. He said he'd been watching me and that this was the perfect chance to defeat the power rangers. To earn my way back on the ship.

I agreed instantaneously, pushing all thoughts of Dustin Brooks out of my head. His kindness, his trust, his friendship into the backburner.

It was all his damn fault anyway!

But…my confidence wasn't as strong as I'd hoped it be. I didn't have a very good sleep that night.

The next day, I waited patiently at the spot I told Dustin to meet me. To give him a weapon that would be able to defeat Beevil. Supposedly.

Uncle had supped it up last night so that instead it would be used to drain the rangers of their powers. My fingers clutched nervously at the trigger. If the yellow ranger knew what was good for him, he wouldn't come!

But he did. Of course.

My heart fluttered and I put an angry hand to my chest to force the erratic thumps out of my system.

Upon seeing me coming out of my hiding place behind a bush, he smiled. I smiled. He smiled wider. I smiled wider. Like the domino effect!

Out of the blue, he picked a twig out of my hair. And I reddened. When he mumbled a quiet sorry…it took a lot to not act out on my impulse to kiss him.

…Talk about _embarrassing_! …And totally _wrong_. In my head we were enemies now! Behind every one of my smiles, my gestures, my giggles, there were lies.

I was going to successfully _deceive_ this person. The first person to have ever trusted me…to have ever looked at me with something other than disgust or pity or contempt. I was going to take _advantage_ of that.

Because I'm a villain. And will be forever. I was raised to be evil. So that's what I'll always be. All I'll ever be. With Uncle, Kapri, the generals, the kelzaks. On the ship. It's where I _belong_. It's my place in the universe. It's…all that I've ever known.

My heart was waiting for some suspicion in his voice, some glint in his auburn orbs that he knew I was lying.

There was no sign like that.

Only this…honesty.

Once I realized it, it was so hard for me to…look him in the eyes.

When the plan had fully been set out, he thanked me with all the sincerity he had (I could feel it), nodded a goodbye, and threw me one of those grins. I almost choked.

Later I fought Beevil. It was an _act_, of course. Like when we were kids. It was only supposed to _look_ real. Catch the rangers off guard with my betrayal at the end. Uncle said it would feel really good when I turned on them, when I turned on the yellow ranger.

It didn't. There was only this…heaviness.

They came soon, Dustin calling out and throwing me the charged up device. I quickly zapped Beevil like how we practiced, though my movements were all like…robotic.

I wasn't the one moving. Whatever it was that made up all my evil. That's what was moving my body.

At the turn of my betrayal, Dustin was in front of the group, his mask was up, and his expression…

His lips were slightly parted with his sharp breathing, his eyebrows knitted, and his eyes were so…Like somehow he'd had his insides torn to shreds. It was…heart breaking. I took a hollow breath, my heart beat quickening, and my eyes were all…glossy. I could feel it.

I nearly lost my _sanity_ when I took a step forward, wanting to _hug_ him.

No! What the hell was happening! I'm evil, remember? Care for no one…and…stuff…

I told him something harsh. Something about him being so much stupider than me to have actually trusted me.

And it had been really what I was feeling at the moment. He shouldn't have done any of that. He should've been more suspicious, more distrusting, more…smart! I was his enemy, for pete's sake! Geez, if I were him, I wouldn't have trusted me.

His eyes took on an even more pained look, and I, not being able to take it—_any_ of it—anymore, disappeared in a flash.

Looking back on it all, I realize that…maybe I was so hurt at Dustin's hurt because I liked the attention…the care…the way he treated me like a friend…a girl…

Not a lackey, not a brat, not an airhead.

I—I…

I am _not_ supposed to be thinking of this! Enemy, remember?

But…maybe. A friend too?

Ugh.

I'm SO confused!

SO…lost.

But I can't help but think that Dustin might've been like…a piece.

A piece of the map that'll lead me where I'll be…not-so-lost.

_Home_, maybe.

**-End-**

**A/N: Gah! About last chapter, I'm so sorry about the stereotype thing! Had no idea you guys were British. –sweatdrop- Yeah, and my friend Sarah doesn't really talk like that either. –heh- She just picks up sayings from her very, VERY…er…_old-fashioned_ father. But honestly very glad you guys liked it (and took it with good humor). –smile-**

**Thanks so much for the support from the following:**

**Anninimouse, Funky In Fishnet, MagCat, CamFan4Ever, JuseaPeterson, and Kris!**

**Goodness, I swear I wouldn't know what to do without you guys backing me up!**

**Thanks again!**

**Review!**


	12. A Twist of Saccharine

**Instants **

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: Hmmm. Well, I was away for a bit, so sorry for the delay. Only comment: BEWARE. This instant is particularly dark in comparison to the previous chapters. This one tells the story of Evil ruling the world and Dustin and Marah's relationship as captor and captive. As seen through (Noble!) Shane's eyes.**

**You have been warned!**

**Theme 11: Perception**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Twelve: A Twist Of Saccharine ** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

His body was aching almost to the point of numbness. His throat was dry, constricted, having gone without water for hours. It was dark, his vision hazy, and the horrifyingly thick stench of blood and ashes hung in the atmosphere.

He could feel the air, as it bit into his skin, chilling him to the bone.

The worst part of it all was the screams, though. The tortured, unending wails of the innocent would echo along the hollow chambers as he sat, clutching himself in his own prison.

His own hell.

…It reminded him of _them_. Which, in turn, brought an unimaginable pain to his insides.

After all, he'd been _leader_ right? He was the guide, the boss, the chief, the one who called the shots.

He was _The_ Red Ranger.

…So, naturally, it was All. His. Fault.

He'd told Dustin straight off how _not_ splitting up would lead them to doom. He'd berated Hunter for his stubbornly headstrong tactics. He'd blamed Cam after headquarters had been destroyed. He'd gotten angry at Blake for thinking too emotionally.

He'd _insulted _Tori right before she'd _died_.

It was stress, he constantly tried to drill into himself. The situation had caused momentary insanity and…_everything_ just blew up in smoke. _He_ hadn't killed his friends, he told himself. Evil did! Evil did! Damn it, EVIL--

…He had failed. He had let _them_ down.

And now they were gone.

The situation seemed hopeless. The situation _was_ hopeless.

Why fight?

It didn't matter.

Evil had won. Darkness had prevailed.

And the good had fallen.

He waited for the cold sweep of death to arrive, as he sat unmoving in the dungeon of Lothor's castle.

XxX

"Aw. Red Ranger's looking a little thin, I see?" The blonde said snidely as she walked into the confines of his cell. "Not so tough now, huh, Mr. Leader?" She delivered one hard kick to his empty stomach, causing him to groan.

She laughed cruelly, taking the bottle of water she'd been holding in her hands and filling him with sustenance.

He tried to spit it out but she held his throat, forcing it down his esophagus. They'd been keeping him alive for the past week, supposedly as he still could be, as Lothor had put it, 'A valuable addition to his army.'

Not that he'd comply without struggling.

He'd rather _die_ first.

When the bottle was emptied, Kapri tossed him a deviously cheeky grin, "Big news today, Shaney-Waney."

He ignored her mindless chatter as he had for the past 7 days.

"Oh fine." She gave him another swift kick to his midsection, knocking the air out of him. "If you don't want to know about the yellow ranger…"

His heartbeat skipped once. Twice. _What the hell?_

_She's_ _lying_, was his first thought. That _witch_! He wasn't an idiot! He knew—he _saw_…

"…_Dustin_?" His voice was cracked from lack of use.

"Yeah." She cheekily stuffed some stale bread down his throat. "He's been found. Captured. Put in a similar cell and is being questioned."

He had no answer to that. His mind was too busy buzzing, _pounding _with the same three words.

Dustin. Is. Alive.

"He was looking pretty beat up." She said, snickering.

"Where the hell is he!" He bit, a brotherly protectiveness in his tone. Kapri smirked, pinching his cheek as if he were some child. "Wouldn't _you_ like to know."

He growled unconsciously.

"Oooh." The blonde answered in mock-awe, "Someone's being extra cheeky today."

She kicked him before continuing. "Well, I _can_ tell you that he's within a mile's distance. And that he's being questioned by my sister, Marah."

His brown eyes widened a fraction. _Marah_?

Of _all_ people…?

Upon seeing the terror in his features, Kapri volunteered more information, "Yep. She volunteered. She's…'interrogating' the boy as we speak."

Again, Shane was left speechless, incoherent thoughts running once more in his head. Dustin is…he…questioning…Marah…evil, pain, danger…heart…

"In fact…" Kapri muttered, taking sadistic delight in the horror in his countenance, "I'm not exactly supposed to show you this but…" From the back pocket of her mini skirt, she pulled out a PDA-looking device.

"I've installed a camera in Dustin's cell, what with him being new and all. My sister doesn't know it's in there, but it feeds live images to this thing." She explained, holding the screen to his face. She smiled maliciously, "Now we'll both be able to enjoy the show!"

She turned it on and he looked away at first. He didn't _want_ to see Dustin tortured, in pain. It reminded him after all, of his failure as their leader. As their _friend_.

But when the screen flashed on, his eyes found their way back to the light source. The pressure to see his face, his best friend after _all_ _this__time_. When he'd thought he'd been _dead_…was just too much to handle.

Dustin's tired, bloodied form, chained similarly to a grayish wall, flashed on screen.

Shane took a breath. It was like looking at a ghost.

Kapri sneered.

And Marah walked in.

The former red ranger, found it hard to not glare at the brunette walking towards his half-unconscious friend. She'd caused him so much heartache; so much goddamn pain that…she…

She had _no_ RIGHT to be talking to him. Seeing him.

Dustin looked up, drearily and offered his best glower.

But as Dustin had never been an angry kind of guy, it looked more like a frown, deepened tightly at the corners. His auburn eyes were too fatigued to catch any fire and they looked deadpanned as Marah made her way over.

"Dustin…"

He was surprised with her tone. At it's…_tenderness_? Carefully, his eyes flickered over to Kapri. She obviously hadn't noticed anything as she was still smirking at the scene.

Maybe he was seeing things. After all, the loss for the will to live often did that to you.

… _Insanity_.

Yeah.

"What do _you_ want?" His voice was also rough, the utterance, harsh. She didn't flinch.

"I'm here to…see you."

Once again, Shane thought he might've been imagining things. That carefully added care, that undertone of gentleness. It was part of her game. _Their_ game.

Dustin looked a bit unnerved at the confession, but he managed to retaliate, "Yeah well…I don't _want_ to see _you_."

Marah's temper then flared, her blue eyes flaming with irritation. Shane could only pray that the former yellow ranger didn't push his luck.

"Too bad." She muttered stubbornly, crouching down so that she was directly in front of him. Wordlessly, she took out a small first aid kit.

Shane knit his brows in utter confusion when she began to treat the various wounds he'd obtained. Kapri had finally caught on to the abnormality in her sibling's behavior, muttering an angry, "What the _hell_ is she doing?"

Dustin questioned similarly, "What…? What are you…doing?"

She didn't look him in the eye, as she answered, "Fixing you up, of course."

His bewilderment heightened, as did the utter perplexity of the audience. "…Why?"

To this, she remained silent, ignoring the widening of his eyes as she tore his shirt open with a knife. She took out a piece of cotton, dabbing rubbing alcohol and antibacterial salve into the rather large wounds on his chest and along his limbs. "This'll hurt a little."

He winced when the medicinal herbs touched his torn skin. She was right.

After she finished disinfecting his opens cuts, she wrapped layers of bandages along his bare body.

"Thank you." He mumbled quietly under his breath, the sting in his injuries effectively dialing down.

She offered him a small smile, "You're welcome."

Shane looked on, his brows knit and his eyes unblinking. _What the hell?_ Why was Marah being so…_kind_ towards him? Sure, he too had been relieved of his most fatal wounds when he'd first been brought in. But it'd been done more as to stop him from bleeding to death than anything else.

He hadn't felt the…_warmth_…that the brunette space ninja was radiating in his best friend's direction.

_What was going on here?_

"Aw…" Kapri said suddenly, breaking him from his thoughts. "Marah must be leading the yellow ranger on so she could…break his heart in the end!" Even as she was grinning like a maniac, Shane caught the uncertainty in her voice.

She too didn't have a clue about what was happening before them.

Turning his attentions back to the screen, the power ranger found Marah had taken out food.

And food, very much unlike the meager meal he was fed twice a day.

In front of Dustin, Marah had laid out two bottles of clear water, a loaf of soft-looking bread, and a can of vegetable broth that she proceeded to heat with her powers.

"She stole that from the kitchens!" Kapri yelled into the PDA, irritation engraved sharply in her features.

Shane looked on in amazement. The girl had gone so far as to _pilfer_ food from the castle kitchen?

_Maybe…this wasn't an act._

"Is that all for me?" Dustin's rough voice cut in, still confused with Marah's selfless actions. First, she treated his wounds. Now, she was offering him a _feast_?

She was the _enemy_…right?

She nodded slowly, "I couldn't find the key to unlock your chains…so I'm…going to have to…feed you." The blush that appeared along her cheeks was surreal. Here they were, in a world controlled by evil, the last traces of light, lost to oblivion. She, his captor and he, her prisoner.

And she was _reddening_ girlishly about having to _feed_ him?

When he nodded, and she brought the water bottle to his lips, Shane couldn't shake off the feeling that what he was looking at wasn't that of a villain and her captive. It was more like…a scene between a girl…and her boyfriend.

Which just wasn't…_right_.

"You still haven't answered me…" Dustin said when he'd downed the entire bottle, "Why are you…doing this?" Shane knew Dustin actually wanted to ask, "Why are you helping me?". The question hung heavily in the air.

"I…just—" Marah muttered, taking a piece of bread and pushing it into his mouth. She fumbled with her words a bit before finally settling on, "Because I can."

A light bulb seemed to have lit within Dustin's brain because something just…clicked. The corners of his mouth lifted a bit.

Kapri looked scandalized. Scratch that, looked and _sounded_ scandalized. And furious. "Why that _little_ _traitor_!"

To Shane's surprise, she didn't go storming off to reprimand her sister. She stayed put, an unbidden spark of hope in her eyes that this was some _ploy_, some trick on Marah's part to play Dustin into her trap. And even as the cerulean-eyed girl affectionately fed a spoonful of warm soup to his best friend, Shane couldn't help but wait for the part where she'd turn on him.

After all, she'd done it before.

"Where…are my friends?" Dustin questioned carefully between sips.

Marah's eyes widened a bit before dulling, "I…don't know."

_Liar_. The thought rebounded along his skull, but the red-ranger couldn't muster any real anger. The _raw_ emotion was playing on her face after all. She was…_hurt_?

And then Shane caught on.

She was _protecting_ him.

"Oh."

Kapri's shrill tone echoed through the cell once more, "Why the hell isn't that _idiot_ asking him questions?" The blonde cursed under her breath, "She's supposed to be sending him to _hell_ right now! Not giving him the _royal_ _treatment_!"

The rest of their conversation was left in silence, but not with an ounce of awkwardness. Only understanding.

She wouldn't ask of the horrors he'd fought. Of the friends he'd lost to darkness. Of the conditions of his heart and his mind.

He wouldn't ask of the evil she'd committed. Of the people she'd stepped on. Of the conditions of her heart and her mind.

When the entire loaf, the can of stew, and the two bottles of water had been finished, Marah packed up her first aid kit and got ready to leave. Before doing so, she gave him one of the softest smiles he'd seen in his life, and leaned in to kiss his forehead.

Shane's suspicions were instantly forgotten.

"Look, I might not be able to come here everyday…" He nodded. "But I'll come here as soon and as often as I can."

She processed a thought, "If the guards or some other people come in here, do me a favor and just…like, act all injured okay?"

He nodded once more.

"That _bitch_!" Kapri seethed, also completely convinced of Marah's feelings towards the former Ninja Storm Yellow Ranger. "She's going to pay!"

Marah got up to leave, as did Kapri. But as Marah made her way for the door, Kapri stayed rooted to her spot, staring angrily into her PDA. Shane made out Dustin's last words, "You…don't belong with _them_ you know."

Shane could almost hear the bittersweet smile in her reply, "…Yeah…yeah, I do."

Kapri snorted and Shane heard the sound of Dustin's cell door closing shut.

"That deserter is SO _dead_!" Kapri shouted into the air, before delivering one final irritated blow to Shane's abdomen.

Hazily, he watched as the blonde space ninja padded over to his door. Panic erupted at the pit of his stomach and he made one last ditch attempt to summon some power.

He _had_ to do this! To make up for his failure as a leader. To ensure that at least _one_ his friends obtained a fraction of the happiness, of the safety that they all deserved.

Marah would take care of Dustin.

This, he was sure of.

A sudden bright warmth surged into his fingertips and Kapri could only scream as pure, blinding energy enveloped the entire chamber.

XxX

The next day, the former Ninja Storm Red Ranger was found dead, having been entirely depleted of energy. Along with him, the high ranking niece of King Lothor and a burnt-beyond-recognition device that experts believed to be Kapri's now obsolete PDA.

**-End-**

**A/N: -shivers- Wow. I didn't know I had it in me! I just killed off Shane! (People boo, hiss, and sob) And Kapri! (Silence) Well, yeah. The theme, Perception, fits in 'cause how the situation goes depends on people's points of view! …Or something. –laughs-**

**Thanks so much for the support from the following:**

**MagCat, Funky In Fishnet, JuseaPeterson, imdoki, loserXcoreFace, and Kris!**

**Cookies for everyone! **

**Thanks again!**

**Review!**


	13. Dream Sequence

**Instants **

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: XD. Wow, this came out fast. Only within 5 days of each other! I like how this one turned out though. Some fluffiness to balance out the gruesomeness of last chapter. **

**In which there is dreaming, embarrassment, hormones, and moonlight. Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! 8D**

**Theme 12: Moonlight**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx** Instant Thirteen: Dream Sequence ** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He was soaring.

Flying. His bike had to be a good…what? 7 stories up? He'd just performed about every free style trick in the book within the first 2 seconds of the jump.

And now he was just going along for the ride.

_Sweet_.

**-TAP-**

_Dude_. What the heck was that?

An earthquake?

…Whatever.

He landed. Spectacularly. His tail end swinging out, drifting perfect circle.

**-TAP-**

Holy Cheese. There it was again.

Was it _really_ worth pondering about? Or…

The crowds roared in the backdrop, chanting his name repeatedly among bright colored banners and envious smiles.

The judges raised their scorecards.

10.

10.

And…an 11?

"What an AMAZING FEAT, Ladies and Gents! For the first time in MOTORCROSS HISTORY. No, wait, scratch that. In the HISTORY OF ALL PLAYABLE SPORTS, a contestant has scored an ABOVE perfect! A 31!"

-**TAP**-

Ignore it. It was absolutely nothing.

"Give it up for DUSTIN BROOKS!"

Besides, there were fans to _please_.

He went up on stage to accept his 7-foot, solid gold 1st place trophy for being "THE BEST MOTORCROSS DUDE IN THE WORLD" and his 1-gazillion dollars in prize money.

-**TAP**-

Still. Not. There.

A scantily clad, brunette wearing a peculiar black mask, walked up to him to give him his congratulatory make-out. Not kiss. Full blown _making out_, baby.

And she looked familiar.

_Amazingly_ familiar.

Bright blue eyes peeked out from behind the black suede of her mysterious mask. One winked flirtatiously.

And he swore he knew that wink!

"Dustin…" she whispered in an all too recognizable voice.

-**TAP**-

"Dustin…" she said again as she walked over, swinging her hips.

"And to be awarding Dustin with his CONGRATULATORY MAKE-OUT is…"

-**TAP**-

There was practically no space between them. He unconsciously leaned into her to close the partial gap.

"Dustin." She somehow sounded a little…angrier?

"Our lovely MISS EVIL SPACE NINJA UNIVERSE…"

-**TAP**-

"DUSTIN!" Definitely angrier.

"MAR-"

-**TAP**-

"Dustin, WAKE UP!"

He woke in a rush, the sudden shift in his body movement almost causing him to fall off of his bed.

_Damn it. _

He should've known it'd been a dream from his flying _seven stories._

Still he couldn't help but think, "It was only a _dream_? …Well, that SUCKS A—"

Sitting at his feet was none other than Marah. Brown haired, blue eyed Marah.

_Idiot_.

Totally unbidden heat spread along the contours of his cheeks.

_Congratulatory make-out._

Pft.

"Marah?" He thanked the gods that the lights weren't on.

"Dustin…" She fiddled with her hands, determined to keep her gaze upon her fingers.

"I…" she started, biting her lip. "Would—"

He raised a confused brow, his auburn eyes zeroing in on her anxious features.

Finally, she took a breath, "Can I sleep with you?"

-SHIFT- -"WHAT!"- -BAM-

This time around, Dustin had successfully fallen off his bed.

"Ow!"

"Dustin!" She hurried to him, attempting to help him back up.

He rubbed the bump from where his skull made contact with the floor. Hard. Still, the throbbing in his head was not enough to distract him from the matter at hand.

Marah wanted to…_sleep with him_?

Dude. This had to be another one of _those_ dreams!

He blushed.

…But. Wait a second. Usually, Dream!Marah (Yes. He had them often enough to dub them Dream-exclamation-point-Marahs) would never take this…_long_.

And usually, Dream!Marah was flirty and playful and an _expert_ in the art of—

-ahem-

Whereas, the Marah at the foot of his bed was all fidgety and…depressed.

_Hello! You don't get hurt in dreams, idiot._

He rubbed his bump. Ouch.

_Yeah_.

So this was real. Phew.

Marah wanted to sleep with him for real.

…WAIT. _How_ did that make things better?

_Panic! Panic! PANIC!_

"Y-you…you want to _sleep_ with me?"

Her brows drew together in uncertainty, "Um. Yes? Is that a problem?"

"Well, no. I mean _YES_! _Yeah_ that's a problem!" He berated himself for his slip up.

This time, her eyebrows screwed more in irritation than anything else. "What's the big deal?"

"Marah! This…THIS is a BIG deal." Gods, did space ninjas do it _casually_ or something?

…_I wish I were from Marah's planet…_

_SHUT UP._

"Why?" She pestered further, her hands clutching his blanket, "It'll just be this _once_, I swear!"

His eyes widened further, his breathing coming in uneven gasps, "Do you even _know_ what you're _saying_!"

And it hit him.

No.

No, she probably _didn't_ understand what she was saying.

At least, what he _thought_ she meant.

"I can't believe…!" She whispered roughly at him, angry eyes glittering, "You--! I was having a _nightmare_ and I-I--" she ranted, standing up, "I thought _you_ of all people would understand the need to not be _alone_!"

She had a…nightmare?

_And the BIG FAT JERK Award goes to DUSTIN BROOKS!_

"Fine then! I'll just go sleep with someone else--!"

Whoa. That _burned_ him for some reason.

His hand shot out to grab her arm, "Wait, Marah."

He waited till she turned around to face him before saying, "I'm sorry. I just—I…thought you meant…something else."

She raised a curious brow, but kept quiet, thinking it better to just ask Cousin later on.

"…Yeah. You can…sleep with me." Her features turned gleeful and she made to hug him thank you.

Which turned out dreadfully wrong.

At that moment, Dustin had pulled down the covers so she could slip in. The blanket tripped her. And she fell. She tried to grab at something to halt her journey downwards. Only to end up pulling on the strings that opened his blinds.

Moonlight filtered in.

And she landed.

On top of him.

"AHHHHH! Why the hell aren't you wearing a shirt!" She screeched, hands moving across his bare chest in an effort to get off of him.

Her legs flailed ungracefully. …Her _naked_ legs.

"ARRGGHH! You're the one not wearing pants!" He retaliated trying to push her off his person.

Shoot man, this was _dangerous_.

If she didn't get off of him _soon_…he'd…

_Seriously_, was it that hard to—to NOT wear _lingerie_ to bed?

That's when the former Ninja Storm Rangers, Kapri, and Sensei barged in.

"What? What _happened_!" Shane shouted hurriedly, scanning the room.

"We heard _screaming_!" Tori yelled frantically.

All eyes turned to Dustin and Marah.

Both blushing and in a _very_ compromising position.

"Wait! It's not what you _think_!" They broke apart as quickly as they could.

Kapri looked at them deadpanned, letting out an amused but not surprised laugh.

Tori giggled.

"I'm going back to bed." Cam muttered sleepily.

_Right_. He didn't care.

"Dude. I _so_ did not need to see that." Shane muttered.

"Yeah." Hunter nodded in agreement, "Now, _I'm_ the one who'll be having nightmares."

Blake didn't comment as he kept looking over at Tori, a question in his eyes and a suggestive grin on his lips.

Finally, Sensei chimed in tiredly, "Dustin…as I've believed _you_…_all_ of you, to be responsible young adults, I had _not_ set rules for your relationships. And despite tonight's…events…that opinion has yet to change."

He gave each of them a warning look, "But it will if you cross the _line_."

He rubbed his temples, sighing, "Just…make the right choices. Dustin. Marah."

The teens laughed a little before Sensei shooed them off to their respective rooms and they exchanged Good Nights.

The door closed.

Leaving the two brunettes alone. Again.

"I guess…" Marah said softly, sadly, "…you're kicking me out of your room now?"

Dustin lay back against his pillow muttering, "Never said that."

She looked up in surprise, squealing giddily when she saw he'd made space for her.

He scooted a bit away so that their skin wouldn't make contact.

"Just…not so close."

She nodded, blushing.

They shifted in their spots, trying to adjust to the feel of another presence lying next to them. They settled on facing each other, (a pillow between them, just in case) and surrendered to the land of the awake for just a while longer.

"So…what was your…nightmare…about?" He asked carefully, curiously.

Her grip tightened on the blanket as she answered, "Unc—Lothor."

Her eyelids were heavy with drowsiness and a pinch of grief. She further explained, a bitter expression on her features, "Today's the anniversary of his death."

"…Oh."

It made sense.

She then shyly smiled up at him. "Thanks for letting me sleep with you, Dustin."

He reddened (_damn_, the word 'sleep' had been _butchered_ by American Society!) but grinned nonetheless, "Anytime."

A few minutes later, Marah was off in Dreamland.

He cautiously brushed a hair out of her face and wondered idly if maybe this was _another_ dream of his.

'She's cute.' Was his last coherent, hormonally induced thought.

Before closing his eyes, Dustin stole a quick kiss from the top of her forehead, with only the moonlight to play witness.

**-End-**

**A/N: WHEEE. FLUFF. My favorite genre. (Yes, I know it isn't really a genre, but it SHOULD be.)**

**Special Thanks To:**

**Anninimouse, MagCat, CamFan4Ever, JuseaPeterson, and Kris!**

**Thanks, as _always_, guys for supporting me! I probably would be stuck with perpetual Writers Block if not for your flattering reviews! XD.**

**Review Again?**

**Please!**


	14. Twenty Metamorphoses

**Instants **

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: Ah. Another Marah character-study. I like doing a lot of character studies on her because 1) In the show, she's painfully shallow and I like to give her more depth. And 2) I just plain like her. :D **

**Marah. And twenty events that made up her transitions from evil to good, girl to woman.**

**Theme 13: Change**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx **Instant Fourteen: Twenty Metamorphoses **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1. At 5, she'd received her first doll. A stuffed little Kelzac replica, which she giddily brought to bed that night. The following morning, it'd gone missing and Kapri had been found to be the perpetrator. She'd vowed to never talk to her again forever and ever and ever. The day after that, she'd greeted her sister 'Good Morning' and forgiveness had been realized.

2. When she was 8, she'd gone to Earth for the first time. She kicked the first person she'd come upon (as Uncle had instructed her to). But when the mousy little boy had started crying, she furrowed her eyebrows, bewildered, bit her lip, and left. Leaving an apology flower in her wake.

3. 10 years since her birth, she'd started serious ninja training. On her first day, preliminary fights had been held and she'd won out her opponent. And as they walked off the battle arena, bruised and more than a little sore, she's smiled over at the girl and said in all sincerity, "Good Fight."

4. A year later, she'd gone out on a little Earth excursion. On some random street corner, she found a box, which held an abandoned puppy: cold, shivering and twitching from lack of nutrition. Her uncle's pet ban flared momentarily in her mind before she willed it away, taking the baby animal, tucking it into the confines of her coat, and rushing back to the ship.

5. In that same year, she and her sister had been invited to their uncle's throne room for the first time wherein all his diabolical scheming took place. That day, he'd decided to share his newest plan with them in order to 'progress their evil-strategy-producing abilities'. She'd applauded it, crushing any thought of doubt screaming no at the back of her consciousness.

6. On her 13th birthday, she and her sister had come to Earth again. They spotted a pretty heart linked silver necklace in an accessory shop display window. Kapri had urged her to 'take' it as means of celebration. She did, but swiftly put it back when her sibling wasn't looking. Upon return to the ship, she'd explained its absence was due to her clumsiness and not pity for the lonely old man with a serene smile who was watching the shop.

7. At 16, Lothor had finally begun his terrorization of the human race, beginning at Blue Bay Harbor. The Ninja Storm Power Rangers had made their first appearance, and she remembered having to stifle her impressed "Wow!" at their trained moves and varying powers.

8. Still of the same age, she'd witnessed the vengeful Thunder Brothers ally with evil. They lived on the ship for a while and she'd been secretly flustered at the thought of two boys, two very _cute_ boys (yes, hormones had already sunk in long ago), technically living with her. That had been the first time she'd pondered about love. And a future in it.

9. When she was 17, she was abandoned by her shipmates in favor of her traitorous friend and in the shadow of her insecurities was saved by a power ranger. Though she'd ended up tethering her loyalties to her past, the boy with bright brown eyes had opened hers to the extent of trust, heart, and the fact that she did have an option, a choice. _Freedom_.

10. A few months later, first idealities unraveled, she'd discovered her uncle's plan to dispose of her and her sister. When they were hurrying off the ship, in the midst of panic, Kapri had been temporarily separated from the group. She'd refused to join with her cousin until she'd been found.

11. On her 18th birthday, she became a full-fledged Ninja Academy student. Her uniform had become a promise of redemption.

12. That year, she'd had it particularly rough. A lot of the students in her class, from the lowest to the highest of rank, often steered clear of her and her sister as they'd been ex-criminals. When the tale of her betrayal against the Earth Teacher, Sensei Brooks had gone around, the silent treatment and the behind-the-back name-calling had become especially brutal. Dustin, of all people, had been the one to end it and she poured her gratitude into endless thank-you's and tired tears on his shoulder.

13. As a 19-year-old, she'd graduated from the Academy early not only because of previous training, but also because, as her Sensei had commended, she had determination and a readiness to learn. She'd admitted with a small smile that in the past, it had _so_ not been.

14. When she was 20, she'd obtained her first job, working at a pet shop. Though she worked with clumsy hands and sometimes wandering thought, she did her part with love, always with love. A lot of her fellow Academy students often went to her with pet problems. Kapri went to tease. Dustin, to tease and flirt. But mostly to flirt.

15. At 22, they found that Tori had cancer. She'd become a good friend so she visited with the others a lot to offer support. The chemotherapy had made her hair fall out and as an act of total loyalty, she'd surprised the bedridden girl at the hospital one day with her own freshly shaved head. Tori had smiled, sarcastic about her vanity.

16. A year after, Dustin took title 'first boyfriend', and flew her to L.A. so that she could meet his dad, who'd been away at another motor cross tournament. It'd also been her first time seeing a homeless man. Though Mr. Brooks had advised not to give the grubby looking guy money, she'd tossed a dollar and 37 cents into his cup when her tour guides had their backs turned.

17. When she turned 25, Lothor had been found alive and plotting to destroy the Earth once more. They'd all helped in extinguishing his plans before they came to fruition. But when asked whether or not she believed he deserved imprisonment or death, she'd quietly voted for imprisonment. Because despite everything, he was family. Always would be.

18. A season later, Dustin proposed and her 'yes' had been joyous and immediate. In that same week, she'd learned how to drive and had been offered her first full time job as a veterinarian's assistant. Cam's dad, her other uncle, had commented on how she'd grown, pride glowing at the edges of his wrinkled smile.

19. On her 27th birthday, her husband threw her a surprise party. Her entire extensive list of friends and family had been invited to celebrate with her. Exactly nine months later, she gave birth to a baby girl, who she and Dustin had mutually named Tori, in honor of their late friend.

20. When she was 32, she'd been called back to the Academy. A new evil had arisen and help was desperately needed. She accepted with little hesitation. At the end of it all, she received a medal for the lives she'd saved in the line of duty.

Marah Brooks.

'With love, from the people she'd fought for, lived for, and _died_ for.'

**-End-**

**A/N: Hmm. Found this type of writing style in some other fanfic I read. Hope you all enjoyed! 8D**

**Super _Special_ Thanks To:**

**CamFan4Ever (HeeHee), MagCat (sorry, I know I didn't put any other NS couple in here. Next time though:D), Anninimouse (Haha. S'ok. Maybe motocrossers CAN jump seven stories. XD), Destiny45 (He is. Definitely. XD), imdoki (Haha.), Kris (Right back at ya, hon.), JuseaPeterson (Heehee. Misunderstandings make things funnier.), Meloda2626 (new reviewer:D Thanks.), M14Mouse (XDD. Thankies.)**

**Wish I could give y'all a cookie! 8D**

**Review Again?**

**Please!**


	15. Carnage

**Instants **

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: Whee. It's a shocker!fic. **

**Short, but hopefully sweet. :D**

**Theme 14: Triumph**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx **Instant Fifteen: Carnage **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He was sweating; pretty profusely from the way he poured all of his concentration into the task.

She was shaking; only slightly against all the tension and heart-thundering emotion in the air.

Their eyes met briefly, sapphire eyes on chocolate ones.

And they exchanged undoubtedly heated glares.

It was fast becoming a race. Survival of the fittest. Only the winner could ensure his or her own happiness.

And the very thought fueled their drive.

Her face reflected back upon the cool metal in her hand. She looked lethal.

In his clutch, the weapon glinted under the light. He looked deadly.

Both blades of steel cut quickly, effortlessly through pink, through flesh.

Slices peeled away with each swipe, and their moves came even faster, choppier.

It was carnage.

A shriek echoed against the once, pure white tile. Blood had been spilt, wine red flowing between the cracks and creases.

He knew that this was his chance.

His only opportunity to up the ante. His stabs became more desperate, the teeth of the tool slicing past skin, cutting away fat and meat.

She had fallen away from her job and it made way for his trip to triumph.

His competitor had come back, however, more angry, more fired up than ever. She too began to carve pieces with superhuman ability that, by the time he was done, so was she.

A quick swap of glowers.

And another figure entered the room, devouring both eager contestants offerings.

Hearts beat, pulsating against ribs. Fingers slid with perspiration. With anticipation.

Who would be the one to have to suffer the consequences?

Finally, the personage spoke.

In a light voice, she said, "I think Mommy makes the better ham sandwich."

And the little brown-haired girl skipped away to enjoy the rest of her snack.

Dustin stared dumbfounded after his daughter, while Marah smirked in his direction.

"Told ya' I was the better cook." She placed her knife back down upon the kitchen counter, and then proceeded to show him her bandaged wound, "I even cut myself and I still won!"

She grinned up at him, placing a little chaste kiss upon his cheek.

"So according to our bet, Mr. Brooks, you have to do all of our laundry for the rest of the month."

He groaned under his breath, muttering something along the lines of how little kids had yet to fully develop their taste buds.

**-End-**

**A/N: Yay. A look into the Brooks' family life. :D**

**Super _Special_ Thanks To:**

**Imdoki (yeah. Stagnant. XD.) CamFan4Ever (Here it is! Thanks so much for supporting me this WHOLE time. X3) JuseaPeterson (Hah. I guess it kinda was, huh?) Meloda2626 (Hey! You're sticking with me! Thanks. XD) yellow power (ANOTHER new reviewer! YAY! Dustin x Marah FOREVER. :D) MagCat (sorry, girl. XD My head's about to implode, so I couldn't really think about how to incorporate other pairings into it. I'll get to it sometime though:D)**

**::cyber cookie!::**

**Review Again?**

**Please!**


	16. Bells

**Instants  
By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: I'm not dead! -throws confetti- And so I decided to write something! WOOT. **

**Enjoy my little bittersweet piece! **

**Theme 15: Truth**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx **Instant Sixteen: Bells **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He'd thought the alert had been relatively normal.

So sure. Lothor and an army of 200+ unrecognizable alien goons had landed a huge ship in some remote field area of Blue Bay Harbor. Probably plotting another devious scheme to wreak havoc on the town and ultimately prepare for total world domination.

To a power ranger, it was nothing out of the ordinary for the villain to hatch a new evil plan every few months or so.

Surprising? Yes. Maddening? Yes. Pants-pissing-scary? Almost.

But new? Nah.

A power ranger had to do what a power ranger had…been ordered by Cam to do.

_Sigh._

Now, you'd think that after a few hours parked in that empty countryside, Lothor would mobilize; the main entrance, a huge door that folded outwards to become a ramp, would open dramatically and Lothor would be standing there, looking smug as his 200+army marched in robotic uniformity behind him.

Or at least, that's what they'd all expected.

After several more minutes of stalking the flying vehicle, the Ninja Storm team set out to do some investigating. And what they discovered happening on the other side of the steel craft was what had thrown Dustin's day entirely off.

It was a wedding.

The aliens were preparing an outdoor, flower-influenced, very _human_-_y_ wedding.

The yellow ranger took in the scene with general awe. Row upon row of white chairs sat upon the grass looking prim and pristine under the spring sunlight. Between a set of rows was a long satin rug that led up to a white, wooden gazebo. The place was decorated simply with floral patterns to match the country-esque atmosphere.

"Dude." Hunter whispered to him from his side, "Look how many chairs they have. …They could seat about…"

"200 people." Cam answered.

He blinked, "Or space aliens."

Whoa. Surreal.

He watched with rounded brown eyes as several alien life forms gathered about, mingling with other guests, laughing without a care in the world. As _if_, they had absolutely no intention of destroying said world.

Dustin couldn't shake the feeling that the surprises didn't end there…

"Oh my god!" Tori hissed shrilly, her blue eyes going wide with shock, as she pointed the group's attention in her direction. "Look over there!"

And at that very moment, Dustin came to the sudden realization that no, the alert that morning had not been the same kind of distress signal he was used to hearing. Because it wasn't everyday he had his heart drop to his stomach at the sight of a woman in a white dress.

It just so happened, it was _her_. And it was _that_ kind of white dress.

He blinked once, twice, but the image remained burned in his mind.

A slightly dazed young girl with wavy auburn hair and clear cerulean eyes, donning a tasteful wedding gown and fiddling with her veil.

…_Marah_ was the bride.

xxxxxxx

She's getting married.

She's getting _married_.

She. _Marah_.

_Married_. As in, forcefully tied down to one man for the rest of her life.

Said man probably not even a man at all, but some despicable, alien creep in cohorts with her Uncle.

Damn it.

"So Marah's getting married." Hunter stated bluntly after a few more moments of staring.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." Shane mumbled from his spot.

He kicked him. "Ow!"

"I'm just saying," Hunter scowled, waving over to the scene before them. "That an alien wedding on Earth is not something you see everyday."

"You said it." His brother nodded, agreeing.

A corner of Hunter's mouth twitched in a half grin, "Look at it this way: Now that one of the nieces is getting hitched, maybe her hubby will provide the needed distraction."

Blake chuckled back, "Yeah. Relationships do that to an individual."

And Tori hit him upside the head. "Ow!"

Everyone shared a quiet laugh. Minus Dustin that is, who was still busy looking on in shock/disgust at the events unfolding before his eyes.

How could everyone be acting so calm about this?

Marah was only 17, for god's sake. She was practically a child in terms of appropriate marital age. The groom, who Dustin assumed was the gray skinned, red-eyed, shark-looking alien donning a tux and who was garnering everyone's attention, had to be twice her age judging from the slight discoloration of his skin (scales?).

"Hey." Dustin mumbled, interrupting their idle talk, "She's only 17. Isn't this like, illegal or something?"

Because if it was, Dustin would have been more than happy to jump out of his damn spot behind the bushes and totally disrupt the matrimonial gathering.

"No, no." Cam said, "People 15-17 years of age can get married as long as they have guardian consent. …And obviously." He deadpanned, gesturing to the newly arrived, bulk of smirking evil mass that was the Uncle-of-the-bride. "She has it."

The yellow ranger groaned.

Shane raised a brow, "And dude, they're space ninjas. They don't have to follow human custom." He threw his best friend a skeptic look, "Why do you care anyway?"

"No reason." Dustin muttered a little too quickly. "…It's just, I can't get rid of the feeling…that something really…bad is going to happen soon."

"Dustin, half of the guests are in high heels while the other half is wearing –what the hell, is that silk?—tuxes. I don't think they're about to obliterate anyone just yet." Hunter reasoned.

Blake smirked, "Yeah. They've still got that cake to down. Afterwards, maybe we'll come back."

"Come back?" The Earth Ranger voiced with surprise, "You mean, we're leaving?"

"I don't know about you guys, but I don't think a wedding constitutes the entire team on stalk duty." Shane said, dusting himself off as he rose. "I'm out."

"Yeah, I've got better ways to waste my time." The crimson ranger mumbled, also making his way elsewhere.

"No way." The yellow ranger managed, watching as one-by-one, his friends got up and left.

"Dustin," Tori soothed, "They're not doing anything wrong, really. And it's kind of weird to be watching a wedding you weren't invited to."

"Much less, a wedding ran by your arch-nemeses." Blake said at her side.

The light blue ranger nodded, grabbing on to her boyfriend's hand, "We've got someplace to be, anyhow." She offered a small frown, "Sorry Dustin."

The navy ranger then said, "If something comes up, just call and we'll be here."

They both waved goodbye a little hesitantly before storming off, leaving him and Cam behind.

Dustin quickly turned to his remaining comrade, "Cam. Don't tell me you're leaving too?"

"Sorry, Dustin." The Samurai ranger mumbled, rising from his spot. "I actually have a few errands to run."

"Errands?" Dustin questioned, a little unbelieving, "What if this whole wedding thing is some kind of hoax to throw us off? It wouldn't be the first time that they pulled something like this."

The Green ranger sighed, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. In a knowing voice, he said, "Look Dustin, from my experience, if there was ever one thing that these enemies of ours can't pull off, it's faking emotion."

"Take…Marah. Over there." He said, pointing towards his cousin, "On usual schemes, isn't she usually under some false alias or something? Isn't she usually the chipper one?"

Dustin nodded numbly as he watched the girl look skywards, a lost expression on her countenance.

"Look at her today. She's dressed as herself; no wigs, no costume. And she's looking really…off, I guess." He paused, and then said. "And besides, they held the festivities in an open field. No people, no buildings, no signs of urban life that they could possibly destroy."

The yellow ranger sighed, relenting to the fact that duh, Cam was right. As usual.

Cam stood to his full height, about to make his leave, before pausing and throwing him a perceptive glance, "Now if you're staying for…personal reasons, I'm not about to argue with you."

And so Cam left. A rather, embarrassed yellow ranger grumbling in his wake.

xxxxxxx

It was after a dozen of middle-aged looking female aliens went off to congratulate her; after Kapri quickly took her to the side to give her a combined prep-talk and once-over. It was after Lothor tossed her a look and a condescending pat on the head.

It was (especially) after the groom went up to place a chaste kiss on her cheek that the fact that Marah was getting married sunk in.

Along with it came the irrational urge to confront her.

He stopped to think a little and conceded that maybe it wasn't so irrational.

They were friends. Secret friends. Friends who had to sneak behind their other friends' backs in order to see other, but they were friends nonetheless.

Friends told each other things didn't they? Just last week, he'd told her that he had to get a cavity filled in and two days ago he'd said that he had tried a new brand of cereal that morning. But she didn't have the decency to tell him that she was getting _married_?

Geez. He hadn't even known she had a boyfriend.

He took in a quick breath because somehow his emotions were getting out of hand. There was a storm in his head that he needed to calm. There was confusion, definitely. Shock, yeah. There were also traces of anger and bitterness, a kind that he barely recognized.

_Deep breaths, Dustin. _

He watched as she laughed, made some vague excuse to her guests, and discreetly slipped away.

This was his chance, he sensed. So he followed her.

xxxxxxx

He found her huddled at the edge of the nearby lake, gazing listlessly into the waters depths.

He wanted to say something witty at that moment. Something charming or smart aleck-y like all male protagonists of romantic comedies (that Tori had tricked everyone into watching) do near the finish of the movie, right before the promised happy ending.

But he was struck, really. For one thing, the sight of a depressed bride was kind of disarming. (The sight of a depressed Marah more so, in his opinion.)

And for another, in consideration to how she looked at the moment, there would be no happy ending if she went through with her marriage.

She spotted his reflection in the water before he could speak.

"Dustin?" she turned around wide-eyed before leaping to her feet, "What are you _doing_ here?"

"…Taking in the scenery." He mumbled. She soon realized that by scenery, he hadn't meant the lake or the trees or the underbrush. He'd meant her, the lonely-eyed girl donning a wedding dress and tears that were threatening to fall.

She quickly turned around to wipe her eyes and responded with an ambiguous, "Mm."

There was a short silence as they both sought the right words.

Dustin opted for the obvious, "What are you doing here?"

"…Same." She relented.

The yellow ranger let out a slightly frustrated sigh. "Really. So you wear wedding gowns to sight-see often?"

She answered his inquiry with silence; though from the corner of his eye, he caught her stiffen.

He tried again, "You look nice. Must have took you quite a while to get ready for the big day, huh?"

Marah refused to look in his direction, but conceded a quiet, "Thanks."

Dustin sighed, a little frustrated over their beating around the bush. He opted for the direct approach, "Marah. You're getting _married_ today." She still wouldn't look him in the face. "_Married_. As in, tied down to one guy. For the rest of your _life_." His irritation was escalating with her silence and the fact she wouldn't meet his gaze. "Do you even _know_ this guy?" Never mind _like_ him, he added mentally, because he knew their time had meant something. _To him anyway._

The dread settled in.

Is that why she hadn't told him about the wedding? Because…in all honesty, she didn't really _care_ about what happened to their relationship? The insecurity tightened the unpleasant vice in his chest. "Marah. Marah, look at me."

She did, and he found her eyes were fresh with angry, tired tears. "You should just…leave, Dustin." She shook her auburn locks, wiping quickly at her eyes, "They might find you here." There was both threat and warning in her tone.

"I'm not going till you leave with me." He replied simply, stubbornly.

And she looked back up at him, cerulean shimmering with surprise and…hope? "What?"

"You're obviously bummed about marrying this fish guy." He told her, grabbing hold of her hand. "So come with me." _Stay with me_. "I'll help you run away." _We'll run away together._

She was quiet a few more moments as if she were allowing herself to ponder the very idea, before her head snapped up a little more furious this time, "Dustin! No! You know it's not that easy."

"What's so hard about it?" He fired back, still holding tightly on to her wrist. "Just leave with me. Now."

"And like, then what, Dustin? Have Uncle and his 200 guests go ripping apart Blue Bay Harbor, looking for me?" She retaliated, attempting to free her arm from his grip. "And would you just let me go--!"

"Do you want to marry this guy?" Dustin suddenly questioning, his eyes unintentionally drawing into a glare. "Is that why you want—"

"No!" She nearly yelled, her hands forming into fists. Her voice was cracking as emotion broke through her system's defense. "Dustin. Just _leave_. Now!"

"Not until you tell me the _truth_." He snapped. And she began to cry. Tears he'd only seen on two occasions before. Tears that made his heart hurt with her. She was trying not to breathe, he noticed, probably because she believed that without air to fuel the tears, they'd stop. The girl ended up shaking with the effort, and her quiet cries then became sputtering sobs.

He quickly gathered her up in his arms, irritation forgotten, stroking her hair in a futile attempt at comforting her. "Just…Just tell me the truth, Marah." He breathed. _About everything_. How it had all come to _this_.

"…He's this horrible villain's son…Uncle wanted an alliance…" she said, voice muffled in his shirt. "Son picked me."

"An arranged marriage? What is this, like the 18th century?" he joked softly into her ear, undoubtedly relieved that the sentiment had been one-sided.

"I didn't tell you…" she continued, head still buried in his chest, "Because I knew seeing you would make things so much harder."

She was probably right. But he didn't want to acknowledge that.

After she released herself from his hold, sapphire eyes met chocolate ones and it was then that he knew the situation was hopeless. _For them._ With it came this disagreeable queasiness at the pit of his abdomen. "Once I'm married, I'll be moving to another part of the galaxy."

There was this finality in her voice that made him cease in questioning whether or not a Ranger Rocket would get him there. He knew what she meant by that, and found himself regretting demanding the truth from her. The reality of it all was so much harder to stomach. One more truth and he were going to hurl all over his shoes.

Somehow, Marah sensed this because her eyes grew softer and she smiled the bright little half smile he'd come to love, "In a Dream World, we'd elope."

His auburn eyes lit with something akin to passion but not quite so. More like frustration. Or the regret of not being able to protect her properly. There was sadness. Related to lost 'could've been's and 'never be's. And how he was never meant for her, she was never meant for him, and the world was never meant for them.

His ears caught the chime of wedding bells.

He kissed her for the first time.

And last.

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**A/N: YAY. Nine pages! To make up for my temporary dead-ness.**

_**Special**_** Thanks To:**

**CamFan4Ever (I'm tricky like that. XD) KAT (That was the point. 8D) Hunter Hatake and Roxxi Uchiha (8D WOW! A new reviewer! Welcome to my fanfiction! -throws more confetti-) Anninimouse (Really? Amazing. 'Cause that chapter was a total quickie. :D) JuseaPeterson (There, there. It's cool. I had no idea where I was going with it at the start, either, so I guess we're in the same boat. :D) Meloda2626 (ME TOO. X3) yellowpower (Hehe! Thanks! Here's the newest chapter!)**

**REVIEW PLEASE!  
**


	17. Stupid Cupid

**Instants**

**By: the-magenta-ranger**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. (The show, I mean, as I do own some of the action figures.) -grin-**

**A/N: 13 pages, y'all. :D**

**Theme 16: Match**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx **Instant Seventeen: Stupid Cupid x**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They watched, cerulean eyes catching interest, auburn ones feigning indifference.

Bicker. Bicker. Glare. Bicker. Bicker. "SHUT UP." Saunter off.

It was an infinite cycle, she supposed. He was a born leader in red, and she'd always had this superiority complex.

They clash. He mused, casually crossing his arms as he was still under the pretense of disinterest.

So she had surely surprised him when one day, she mumbled with as much insight as Watanabe-sensei himself, "They like each other."

Blink. "Wait. What?"

She grinned cheekily, tapping a finger to her temple, "Woman's intuition."

And she'd definitely thrown him for a loop when she decided, "Let's match make them."

Huh?

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Scheme 1.

He looked at her incredulously, "Marah. You cannot be serious."

"I SO am!"

Sigh. Crazy chick. "Isn't this like, against the law?"

She tampered with the lock, tiny screwdriver working in the needed kinks. "No. And besides, even if it were, couldn't you bend the rules _just a tiny bit_ for your friends' happiness?"

"…Well, yeah. But, geez, isn't this kinda extreme?"

"It has to be big, Dustin. So they'll finally realize how they feel and stuff. Like, _pow_, a slap to the face."

"I guess."

"I can see them now. 'Shane, I know we fight. A lot, yeah, but…my anger is just a way to hide my true feelings. …I really, really like you.' 'Kapri…Wow, I—I feel the same.'"

She grinned insanely. "CUTE."

He rolled his eyes at her stereotypic girl behavior.

"Insert some –serious- making out here."

His eyes widened a little. "No, Marah. No way. In the closet?"

She smiled something fierce and he vaguely wondered if she was like this with her boyfriends.

He bent his neck a little, blushing about finding that incredibly…_hot_.

"Their hormones will overcome the ego. And besides, they're teenagers, Dustin. Making out is ok, like…anywhere."

She prodded his side and he jumped. "Now go in. Test the lock from the inside."

He still couldn't believe he'd agreed with this whole matchmaking business, but he found himself fumbling with the now useless inside knob anyhow.

"Shoot, they're coming!"

She had to have done that on purpose, he swore. That is, running in with him and slamming the door shut. The very door that they had been meddling with and thus, did not open from the inside.

"…SHOOT." She realized her ineptness with a slap to the forehead.

He stared in kind.

And so they spent the better half of 34 minutes yelling for help and pounding against the door. (Seriously, were Shane and Kapri the only ones who used this hall?)

On the 35th minute, they decided to break, thinking, hoping, that someone would sooner or later need something from the broom closet.

He sat, bored, wondering what he and Marah could do to kill time.

_Making out is ok, like…anywhere._

He reddened unconsciously. And to add to his already horrible predicament, a healthy dose of testosterone!

Lovely.

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They got out eventually. Eventually, some new kid broke a vase that eventually needed cleaning, which eventually involved someone going to the broom closet. Eventually being 2.3 hours.

During which, eventually, they slept together.

The fully clothed, chastity-conserving sleep, because they were, after all, in a closet, thank you very much.

She hadn't gotten much sleep last night, what with her scheming and attempting to learn how to effectively disable a knob's mechanics.

So he, being his usual chivalrous heroic self, leant her his shoulder.

Which eventually put them in quite the predicament after a student came barging in upon the blatant display of affection. Thank goodness he wasn't one of those kids who got his kicks from running the rumor mill.

"Oh, ah, um. …Sensei Dustin? …Marah?"

They walked out as casually as they could manage. And Marah smiled what Dustin referred to as, 'disarmers'. "Thanks." She said, blue eyes warm enough to make the boy melt.

Right then, he felt the need to interrupt, "You so owe me."

She looked up at him curiously. Then conceded, "'kay. What do you want?"

"A Schwinn's Rocket Mountain Full Suspension 2006 model dirt bike."

"I'll totally make sure to save all my pocket change from now on."

Then she kissed his cheek, mumbling a quiet sorry against his skin.

And he suddenly felt that her debt had been totally cleared.

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Scheme 2.

The former Rangers, all seven of them, plus Marah and Kapri of course, had decided one Friday to go have fun at the fair that came every three months.

This was their chance, she said. People always get together during carnivals.

Dustin sighed.

It was 7 p.m. already and they still had yet to make any significant moves.

The tunnel of love had been their initial scheme, but it was a no-go due to technical difficulties.

Then they thought, Haunted House. Kapri could latch herself onto Shane's arm whenever things got a little too creepy. Turns out, after living with monster-reminiscent space aliens all your life, flickering lights and polyester-skinned demons just didn't faze you anymore. Shane had turned out to be the more freaked of the two, but like hell was he going to show it. Much.

The Shane-Winning-A-Stuffed-Animal-For-Kapri Plan quickly went down the drain after conceding that 1) Shane would never openly give Kapri a gift and 2) Shane had a serious bad pitching arm.

Finally, it hit them. Ferris Wheel.

If they timed it just right, their car would stop right at the top and overlook the lights of the carnival glowing underneath the deep night sky.

Can anyone say, 'AW. How Romantic!'?

So they both convinced everyone to pair up and get in line. Naturally, Tori went with Blake, the total PDA, I-love-to-snuggle couple that they were. Cam and Hunter had stalked off to who knows where to have manly talk and do manly things.

Shane and Kapri had been fighting (as usual), and therefore had not noticed any pairing up business of any sort, and had been forced to ride together.

("What?! There's NO WAY I'm sitting with that—_alien_."

"Ugh! I would've gladly sat with Cousin. Or hey, even Hunter, because you know what, I think he's WAY cuter than you!"

"What makes you think I care who you think is cute? All that dye in your hair must have affected your eyesight anyhow!"

"You jerk! You are SO asking for a face full of fist!")

And Dustin rode with Marah.

There were no objections, no comments.

And everyone acted so _natural_ about it.

So they've been quite the inseparable duo the past few weeks, but seriously.

It wasn't as if they were a couple or anything. They were good friends who, what with Marah not totally understanding the concept of personal space, were a miniscule bit more affectionate.

But bottom line, (no 'fine print' to speak of) their relationship was entirely platonic and was, thus, meant to be translated as such.

Right?

So busy was he stewing over these thoughts that he barely acknowledged that it was their turn to get on. Until she took his hand in hers, that is.

"C'mon Dustin." She called, smiling.

Friends do this all the time, he tried.

_What? Holding hands and doing very couple-y activities? Like riding Ferris Wheels together, huh?_

After the whole closet episode, he'd honestly expected some awkwardness, a little more shyness than what their friendship usually called for.

But there was none of that. Only more of Marah's smiles, and only more of his laughs.

A lot more of _them_.

No. Wait. He stopped to regain his bearings a second. Shane and Kapri. Shane and Kapri. Not just Shane. Not just Kapri. But Shane AND Kapri. Together. That was the mission of the moment and he could do away with unnecessary distractions—

"Shoot!" She suddenly exclaimed, looking over the bar when their car stopped. At the top. "This was where they were supposed to be!"

The car rocked roughly, and Dustin was suddenly all too aware of his position. Not on the ground and virtually, in the sky. He suddenly remembered just how afraid he was of heights.

"Dust?" She said, noticing his tightening grip on the bar. Her blue eyes lit with both concern and moonlight.

"I'm fine." He muttered, eyes trained forward and anywhere but the sight below.

He didn't expect her to understand his fear, his thing with acrophobia.

But surprisingly, she did.

She put a soft palm over his hand, fingers sweeping over his knuckles in what was meant to be a soothing manner. He didn't know whether to relax or tense up for an entirely different reason.

"We'll be here for just a bit longer," she said, which actually meant, 'so sit tight and get comfy.'

It wasn't as if they could get to Shane and Kapri anyhow.

She laid her head upon his shoulder, just as she had before, her hand never leaving his.

He caught the subtle smell of tangerines in her hair.

Yum.

His favorite fruit.

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Scheme 3.

The physical approach hadn't worked.

The underhanded romantic set-up had ultimately failed.

What other tactic was there to try, really?

He looked over to the 'mastermind' of the operation, a curious expression on his features. The unconscious 'she looks really cute when she's plotting something totally sly' thought met with his brain and its 'realization function' much faster than his embarrassed subconscious could discard it.

They were sitting at a random booth at _Johnny Rockets, _to order milkshakes and fries to share, just as they'd been doing every other Friday for the last couple of months or so.

He gazed idly over at his friend (because that's what they were, no matter what it seemed or how many of their friends thought otherwise. Really. Seriously. Period.) and knew the figurative idea light bulb had gone on inside her head when her features lit up.

"The Jealousy Factor." She announced, grinning proudly.

He sipped at his shake and gave her a curious look.

"Oh c'mon, Dust. You know how it goes!" She exclaimed, tossing him a slightly exasperated look, "They're way too stubborn to like, do anything on their own. So we've got to throw in a little competition!"

"Dude. Marah." He said, brows knitting, "That's like, totally deceptive."

She smiled again, "Isn't it? It's perfect though! Proud people are usually very possessive too, y'know. When Kapri sees me prowling on her territory, she'll totally blow up!"

He sighed, about to humor her before it suddenly registered in his mind, "Wait, _you're_ the 'little competition'?"

"Of course. Who else?"

His voice gained somewhat of a nervous tremor. "I—I don't know! I just…didn't expect…" He trailed off a little, before stuffing a fry in his mouth and clearing his voice, "So what, you're going to _flirt_ with him or something?"

"Yep." She giggled girlishly, "And it's even better that it's me." At his blank look she explained, "I mean, how would you feel if your _younger_ sibling were putting the moves on your crush?"

"Well, yeah, I guess, but—"

"Look! They're here!" She gasped surprised. She stood, waving and calling out to the (again) bickering pair. "Oh! Shane! SHANE! …and Kapri. Over here!"

Geez, this plan was moving fast.

Too fast.

"Hey guys! Shane, come sit next to me." Marah said, smiling demurely.

_Way_ too fast.

The ex-Red Ranger cocked a suspicious brow, before conceding. Kapri's expression was definitely unguarded surprise, which was turning quickly into frustration.

The blonde huffed under her breath before settling beside Dustin in the little booth.

"So…" Shane began, "What are you guys doing here?"

Marah answered breezily, "Just hanging out. Telling Dustin over here of my boy troubles."

Kapri looked a little skeptic, "You tell him your boy problems? I thought he _was_ your boy problem—"

Cerulean eyes widened a bit, before she waved it off with a ridiculous hand motion, "Don't be silly, sis. Dustin's my confidante, not my boyfriend."

He decided that Marah was an extremely good actress, because Shane and Kapri weren't the only ones getting affected by her casual brush-offs. How was he being her boyfriend, silly?

"I've been telling him how hard it is for me to hold down a boyfriend…" She gave a really exaggerated sigh. "I just can't seem to find the right man, y'know? Someone really take-charge and a total leader."

From Shane's slightly raised brows, you could easily tell that his interest had been captured. And from Kapri's slightly affronted scoff, you could easily tell that she could easily tell.

"Really?" Shane questioned a little curiously.

She nodded, "Of course, I look for strength and intelligence in my guy, but born-leaders are what really get to me…"

Kapri's glare was acidic, "Really, Mar? I thought you were into more of the fun-loving, out-going, friendly type…"

Dustin wondered if Kapri was hinting at him.

"No, no!" She said, giggling, "I like really headstrong guys…guys who really know what they want in life."

Was she suggesting that he didn't know what he wanted in life?

Shane nodded his head a little, as if saying, 'There are really only a few of us out there.'

"Then why don't you try Hunter?" Kapri, suggested, taking another route, "I hear he's really…headstrong and stuff. And you guys would look really good together!"

_No, they wouldn't._

"Hmmm. I don't know, Hunter is a little too broody for me." She tapped a finger to her chin in mock-thought, "And besides, I get enough of Motorcross from hanging out with Dustin."

Was she tired of his Motorcross too?

"Really?" Shane responded, grinning, "You should try skateboarding, then. It's what I do to drown out their Motorcross talk."

Marah laughed a little, a sound that made both occupants of the opposite seat twitch in annoyance.

"You skateboard? That is totally cool!"

Man, she was laying it on _thick_.

"You said it. Doing all these stunts and tricks using just your skill and your board? It's awesome."

At least the plan was working, Dustin reminded himself. Kapri was absolutely seething.

Even when he was squirming in his seat at their closeness, at least everything was going according to plan.

That is, till Kapri decided to take things up a notch.

"Hmm, I think Motorcross is still tons more dangerous. Only guys with _real_ courage can compete in that sport. Isn't that right, Dustin?"

Oh no. Oh. _No_.

"And also headstrong guys are way too…stubborn. The carefree ones are the keepers."

She winked at Dustin.

She was _so_ coming onto him.

And Marah let out a tiny, barely audible indignant squeak. Which, for some unfathomable reason, left him feeling better.

Shane was responding well.

"Whatever. Girls who are bubbly are so much cuter." He sent a meaningful glare at Kapri, "Not to mention, they know when to keep their mouths _shut_ when need be."

Hmm. Well, maybe he could help get this thing going. After all, getting Shane all worked up would just move things along faster, right? (He ignored the tiny little part of him that said he just got satisfaction from seeing Marah _jealous_.)

"Well, confident girls are cute too. They're strong and they don't take crap from anyone." Dustin added.

Shane and Marah reeled back in shock.

"You like those kinds of girls, Dustin?" Shane murmured, then chuckled a little bitterly, "Then you should have asked Tori out when you had the chance."

"Yuck!" Marah suddenly said, her voice a little louder and a little higher than usual, "That would be like him dating his sister!"

Dustin looked to Marah, his mind beaming. She mouthed a 'What the heck are you doing?' in his direction.

"Nah. Tor's not even all that headstrong. I mean, she can take care of herself, sure, but haven't you seen her with Blake? She becomes a puddle."

"Well," Shane semi-scoffed, "Girls who are too headstrong can get kind of…pig-headed."

"Same with guys!" Kapri fired back. "They can get so full of themselves—"

Oh.

Hey, more arguing was not the direction he and Marah had planned the situation to go.

"Settle down, guys." Dustin tried, ever the peace-maker. "No need to argue. All I was saying was that willful girls can be really attractive—"

"Oops! Sorry Shane! Was that your knee that like, brushed against mine?" Marah suddenly interrupted, giggling flirtatiously.

So flirtatiously it made Dustin want to gag.

"Dustin, I think you've got lint on your shoulder…" Kapri spontaneously observed, reaching across his lap to brush off a probably non-existent peace of dust.

He swore he heard a growl.

From Shane or Marah, he didn't know which.

"Hey Marah, y'know, since you're so interested in skateboarding, maybe you should come to my skate competition next Friday…" Shane said stiffly, reaching into his pocket even as his eyes were religiously trained on Kapri, "I've got this extra ticket…"

Marah tossed him an irritated glance and Dustin held his breath.

There was no way she was going to accept. Absolutely _no way_.

Because not only was it going to interfere and ultimately blow their entire matchmaking scheme to smithereens, it would mean that Shane, his best friend since childhood, would be going on a date, _a full-fledged date_, with Marah, his…his he-didn't-know-what.

And he was not okay with that.

"…Sure, Shane."

_What?_

Before she could grab onto the stub, his hand reached out to grab her wrist.

"Mar, I think our extra order of fries is here. Come with me to get it, yeah?" He mumbled, ignoring her look of agitated confusion.

He dragged himself past Kapri and her over Shane, even before she got the chance to respond.

When they were finally far enough away, he hissed at her, "What was that?"

She crossed her arms, "What was what?"

"That! You accepted his date offer! Dude, don't you realize that just ruins the whole thing?"

"Well, you started flirting with Kapri! That wasn't part of the plan!"

"She came onto me first!"

"Well, you did a totally stellar job at not responding!" She nearly screamed, voice dripping with venomous sarcasm.

"At least I was helping the jealousy thing along." He bit, "You were about to _date_ him!"

Marah huffed a little, "Well I just couldn't stand the thought of you two together! It made me seriously mad seeing how she leaned over you like that!"

"Well, geez, Marah! Now you know how sick it made me to see you so flirty with Shane!"

"Well, why would you have to be—" She paused, "You were sick?"

"You were mad?"

"Yeah, of course I'd be mad."

"Why?"

"…The same reason you were sick." And she promptly blushed.

He grinned in return. "Okay."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

"Well, um, so what do we do now? Like you said, we've totally ruined this matchmaking scheme."

"Dunno. You're the mastermind."

She thought a little, before her features once again caught onto epiphany.

She smiled at him, grabbing his hand, "C'mon."

He threw her a confused look when they stopped a few feet away, not quite within Shane and Kapri's direct viewing range, but just enough for them to attract their attention.

"Dustin." She said loudly, drawing notice from not only Shane and Kapri but also other random customers at the restaurant. "I'm sorry I was mad. It wasn't like, real anger y'know? I was just…jealous."

He gazed down at her, wondering where this was going and whether or not she was putting on a show.

Something bright in her eyes happily told him otherwise.

"I like you."

And before he could respond, she tiptoed to meet her lips with his. The kiss was quick and chaste and public. But he felt he couldn't get enough.

When they broke, she winked at him, whispering, "Change of plan."

When he raised his brows in a silent plea for clarification, she grinned, "They'll totally follow by example."

He laughed, lightly squeezing her hand as they walked towards the two rather shell-shocked teens. And he responded with a highly conspicuous whisper in her ear.

"I like you, too. Is this where we insert the serious making-out?"

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**A/N: Because Dustin and Marah are ditzy enough to fall for their own matchmaking schemes. :DDDD**

_**Special**_** Thanks To:**

**CamFan4Ever (HEHEHEHEHE. Revenge is a great thing. :D ) Jusea Peterson (Lol. Thanks! It was meant to be bittersweet. If you thought _that _was sad, just wait… :D) Meloda26 (8D I finally input a new couple! Shane and Kapri as per request!) yellow power (Haha, thanks. But, um. She actually did marry the guy. Dustin didn't kiss her "at last", that had been the last time he kissed her. D:) shannon (WOW! ANOTHER REVIEWER. YAY. I didn't know I had lurkers:D) KAT-o (Thanks, love! Here's the next chapter!)**

**REVIEW PLEASE! **


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